Time's Return, the Gift of Faturn Commericum
by Rionabelle
Summary: The OZ has fallen apart. DG had lost everyone and now Cain has died too. But she has been given the chance to go back and fix everything. She will do anything to protect the ones she loves. DGxWC.
1. Prologue

**I absolutely love Tin Man. Like I'm slightly obsessed. But not really. Anyway. **

**I want to say that I got part of my inspiration for this story from ****dark shadowed rose's**** story **_**Memories of a Time Not Yet Happened**_**. I hadn't thought about time travel for this fandom before reading that story. But after reading it, the wheels started turnin' and my muse went crazy. So, yes, the time travel concept I cannot take credit for, but the backstory to the time travel and what is going to go on it still my idea. Well, except for the whole Tin Man thing. I don't own that. But you'll see that in the disclaimer on every. Single. Chapter. I think it will become clear by the end of this story. =D**

**Also if anyone knows – or is – a good Tim Man beta, I would love the help. I hate copy editing. And I'm bad at it. D=**

**Disclaimer: A lot of dialogue in later chapters will come straight from the series and I don't own it. Or the characters. Or most of the premise. I just love them ALL! **

Prologue

DG wasn't quite sure what to think. Actually she wasn't thinking. She was just sorta there... But not, you know?

She felt like she was floating on the edge of oblivion. Maybe that's where she's heading. _No... I was doing something important... I have to stay!_

But why was she here? She couldn't see anything. Not that it was too dark; there was just nothing to see. There wasn't even a floor. _So how am I not falling?_

Then everything hit her and her body physically trembled. Her mother's life slowly being sucked away, steadily but surely and taking her father with her. Az's authority and claim to the throne rejected. The plague and famine. The OZ's magic running haywire. Mobs and violence. So much violence.

Glitch's death protecting Fineaqua. Raw's overload on the hateful emotions and turmoil, causing his decent into madness and subsequent suicide. Jeb trying to save Az as the magic of the OZ ate her, taking him at well. That was the only way DG could think to describe what she had witnessed. Magic consuming her sister from the inside out, leaving behind only piles of ash where the young couple stood.

After that only DG and Cain were left of the Royal Authority, and hunted mercilessly. DG didn't know what she would have done, what would have happened to her if Cain hadn't been there. She knew she had he man she fell so hard for to thank for her life.

Actually, DG realized as she remembered more, she did know what she would do if she had lost Cain. When she lost Cain.

Her heart painfully clenched in her chest as images of Wyatt falling bloodied and dying at Zero's feet filled her mind involuntarily. She remembered fighting against the Central City citizens that held her back, scrambling to the only man she had ever cared about in that way, even though he didn't know it.

DG watched as he took his final breath while Zero cackles madly at his "success".

And then suddenly DG burned. She burned with sorrow, for her family, friends and love. Burned with anger at the OZ and magic, anger for the traitorous people of the kingdom and most of all - at the moment - Zero. Oh yes, most definitely Zero. DG decided in that moment of blind rage and anguish, Zero would die on this moonless night.

Her magic, already flowing freely with her raging emotions, obeyed her quickly. It was just as willing to avenge and bring justice for Cain, Adora, Jeb and all the countless others that he terrorized with his mere existence. Toto would have been proud had he not perished in the first siege of the Northern Palace.

Her magic flared and burned everything in a five foot radius – except Cain, pristine in his death. That frightened the people. None of them had seen a royal lose control like that. Many of them dropped their weapons immediately and ran for the doors.

But DG was in complete control, despite her emotional turmoil. Her mind was clear, with one focus at a time. She would let them go - many of them were just looking for some semblance of order, she was sure - but not Zero.

As he went to run, her magic instinctually lashed out, rooting him to the floor where he stood.

Slowly the glowing princess approached the murderer. She was a truly terrifying sight. Her magic, filled to the brim and looking for a release, was stirring up large gusts of wind, wreaking havoc in the old theatre DG and Cain had used for shelter. It was whipping her hair and tattered dress around her body. Her eyes were no longer the crystalline baby blues from her father, but glowing out white, magic shiny through every outlet.

"Adrian Zero," DG spoke but was unaware that it was not only her voice that left her mouth, "You assisted the _Ventus_ Witch of the West in her reign of terror, willfully and gleefully. As such, you shall be punished as she - immediately and without remorse or forgiveness."

And DG released a bolt of magic like lightning gripping his heart and ceasing his life. The remaining magic coursing through his non-magic wielder body corroded him from the inside out, much like Az and Jeb had.

The last living thing in the room, possibly the building, DG tried to let go of her magic in order to crawl back to Cain and lie with him until her sorrow suffocated her.

But she couldn't

Before she had burned, but now, emotionally and physically exhausted, she was overrun. She felt magic rushing through every cell in her body. And it was expanding. Soon there wouldn't be enough room for her left in her own body.

Stumbling, losing control of her limbs, DG tripped her way over to Cain. Falling beside him, DG grasped for breath... Any breath...

Now, floating in nothingness, the only thing DG could focus on was Cain's dying words.

"_Princess... Thank you... for giving me a life worth living again. Thank you... DG.. I l-_"

_Oh, Wyatt..._ DG broke down, anguished and strangled sobs tearing from her lips.

DG was so lost in her agony that she was unaware of the soft voice speaking to her from the void.

_Amolestatem Dorthigale... Please hear me... _

Not having enough strength to be properly startled, DG barely glanced around, "Who's there?"

_It is I, the OZ as you would know me. _

"I thought you were falling apart. You really should go get back to doing that," Dg spat bitterly.

_Indeed I am. That is why I need you to gather yourself. You have much to do. _

"You think that I give a mobat's ass about what you need right now?" DG said, with no strength behind her words.

_I can send you back. _

"Back? Back where? To a dying country, with no family and no help? I don't think so. Pick somewhere else. I hear the Bahamas are nice this time of year," DG screamed throatily. She really didn't care anymore. All she wanted was everything to be the way it was supposed to be the way it was supposed to be. _Maybe the Great and Powerful OZ could send my back to fix my mistakes… Oh God… This is all my fault…_

DG was about lost to tears again when the OZ broke through.

_Is that really what you want?_ The light sarcastic undertone went undetected.

"What?"

_To go back? In time? A faturn commercium?_ It was clear that the OZ was faintly amused with the idea, as if it were preposterous.

What was not expected was, an understanding not her own fell on DG, and she ran with it, "Yes, Great Lady Ozma," DG felt shock coming from the OZ, "Send me back to correct my mistakes and set everything as it should have been. Grant me this under the mutual agreement of a Faturn Commercium."

A deafening silence persisted.

_If this is what you really want, Amolestatem Dorthigale…_ DG felt her head nod vigorously… _Very well._ _I grant you your request and wish you well on your quest. May your light be strong and guide you._

Then a white light appeared and quickly overtook her.

**Yay! Before you guys tell me what you think and start asking me questions, I shall probably stem a few here. If there are words that don't look like English, that's because they aren't. In the story they are 'Ancient' but they are an actual language on Earth. Or at least a few words meshed together. And Google translated. =D They will be explained later on, and no, I can't tell you. They are important to the story later on. But don't be afraid to look them up. Anyone who guess them correctly… I'll message them and let them know with my congratulation I guess.**

**Okay long AN. Review and tell me what you guys think!**


	2. Chapter 1: The Return

**Next Chapter!**

**A lot of the dialogue comes straight from the show, minor changes. Let me know what ya'll think!**

**I also wanted to let ya'll know what timeline I'll be working off of, in terms of Az and DG's ages: **

**Az-11, DG- 5: The Witch was released and posessed Az.  
><span>12,6:<span> the Witch took that next year to become aquainted with Az's body and magic, and steadily took control away from Az. Az fought but evenually lost. The Witch celebrated by killing DG. :(  
><span>16,10:<span> The Witch overthrew the Queen and captured Glitch, beginning her Reign of Terror.  
><strong>**17,11: Cain was put in the suit, and Glitch under went forced surgery.  
><strong>**21,15: The Queen was moved from the Northern Isle 'Prison' to the magical sphere prison, and the Mystic Man was 'captured' (read as 'let slip his location') and was put on the vapors.  
><span>24,18:<span> Raw's village was discovered and captured, Raw ran away from the battle.  
><span>26,20:<span> DG's return and the defeat of the witch. **

**So, all this basically translates into, Azkadillia was posessed for 15 years, but only ruled the OZ for 10. DG lived on the Otherside for 14 years, Cain was in the suit for 9, The Queen was in that magical sphere thing for 5 years (gezz...), Glitch resisted giving the Witch any information for 1 and the Mystic Man was a Drug addict for 5. OH! Another little tidbit... Jeb is 18 months younger than DG, ad roughly 8 years younger than Az... Yep. I also figure that Glitch is 28, The Queen and Ahamo 49 and 50, Cain just turn 31 without the suit, 40 with it. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Tin Man. It's sad isn't it?  
><strong>

* * *

><p>Chapter One: The Return<p>

DG woke with a jolt. Sitting up quickly, she immediately checked for any possible dangers. A paranoid exercise Wyatt drilled into her like her own name.

_WYATT!_

DG started to feel the panic set in again as she tried to locate his body. _He can't be_ _dead… He's been shot more times that I'd care to count. He isn't dead!_

But as she inspected the area around her, she found she wasn't in the rundown theatre anymore. No. She wasn't even in the OZ anymore.

_My room? At the farm house? But… What?_

As DG got up and shuffled across the converted attic space to the window, she was running through the memories plaguing the consciousness.

_My family… All of them… Dead… But…_ She pulled back the lacy curtains robo-mom had insisted on, and she saw the farm.

It made no sense to her. The farm had been destroyed when the travel storm hit. A few weeks after the eclipse, DG had convinced her Mother to allow her to come over for a few 'essentials'. She had seen the destruction herself with Cain and Glitch by her side. She knew, beyond a doubt that there was no repairing the damage.

And she had been okay with that. She felt more at home in the OZ than Kansas ever had been for her. Yeah the princess crap and the palaces were so not her, at all, and Restoration and Reconstruction was going to be long an extensive – and grueling – work, but it was home to her. She had a family she was quickly reconnecting with and remembering, wonderful friends, and a people she cared greatly for. So, seeing the farm pristine like before she had left it was unsettling.

DG backed away from the window and caught sight of her calendar. The calendar where she use to count down to her Australia trip. The date read the day she arrived in the OZ.

This new – slightly jarring – knowledge ran through her head and she just sat dumbly on her bed. _Was… Was all that a dream? There is… No way in hell that was all in my head. I'm not that… that demented! Magic, a whole new family… A sister possessed by a psycho witch. A man with half a brain! Me falling in love with a cop. Why would I have dreamed that up? Cain… Oh God, Wyatt…_

DG finally gave in to the urge to just curl up and cry. She must have been not muffling the sound in her pillow as well as she had thought she was, because Emily had heard and come up to check on her.

"DG, are you awake, sleepy bones?" When no replay came and the odd noise continued, Emily stuck her head in the door a ways, "DG? DG! Are you alright, sweetheart?"

Of course the endearment only renewed her tears, as DG could not get the image of ice blue eyes going truly cold out of her head.

"Hank! Hank, hurry! Something's wrong with DG!"

It was a good while before DG was aware of her robo-rents trying to coax her down. Finally though, she was able to calm down enough to sit up and speak. Even if the tears hadn't stopped yet.

"So-sorry guys… Ju-just an awful dream…" she hiccupped slightly.

"Oh darling! Heard you tossin' and turnin' again," her father cooed. She didn't lose complete control this time, she only winced slightly, and really wished her parents would just stop talking, "That creepy cave dream again?"

"Y… yeah…" The déjà vu was so thick; DG could have probably punched through it. Then she remembered. She had had this conversation with Popsicle out when they were fixing the turbine last time.

_Or in the dream, because I haven't done this before. No way. Other than time travel and… Wait…_

Then she remembered another part of her 'dream'. Her lovely one-on-one time with the OZ. She asked to be sent back in time… Is that where she was? Really back at the farm, before she went to the OZ? If so, her father was still in the Realm of the Unwanted, her mother hostage, Az possessed, Raw on the run – maybe already caught by the Papay? – Glitch held by those annoying ankle biters, and Cain… Oh God, Cain is still in that suit! She was certain that she had been given a gift, a chance to change the way things turned out. She would have to wait out today, wait for the travel storm, but then she would find Cain, Glitch and Raw and save her sister, much more quickly than they did last time.

But for now, she'd live in the present. She knew that she had to keep her knowledge of the future valid, so she'd have to choose what she changed very carefully. So for now she would keep things as close to the original as she could, "It was different this time. I wasn't alone. There was a woman there. She had the most beautiful lavender eyes I've ever seen."

"Liz Taylor?"

"Haha," DG remembered mentioning that to her father – Ahamo – that Popsicle had compared the Queen to the actress and he couldn't stop laughing. Of course her mother didn't understand, but it helped her bond with a man she couldn't remember, "No. Actually, I'll draw you a picture of her."

Popsicle smiled at her, "If you are wantin' to draw, I think you are going to be fine. When do you have to go to work, DG?"

"Oh, _stercore_," DG said under her breath, rolling over to look at the clock on the end table, "My shift start ten minutes ago!"

She quickly scrambled off the bed and ran to her closet.

"What did you say?" Momster asked worried.

She hesitated slightly. She had used an Ancient word equivalent to an English curse, Glitch had accidently made her aware of. It helped her sailor's mouth. She could use it and people would know that it was Ancient but not what it meant. She could curse – when she needed to – and still princess-like. After all a princess who knew even a little of the Ancient language was a great thing.

"Umm… Nothing."

While she was stopped, she also started to think about what she was doing. What would it matter if she didn't show up for her shift? She'd probably be fired, but she wouldn't be here tomorrow anyway. Plus she could use the time to prepare for her trip to the OZ and beyond.

_But what if I'm wrong?_

What if that was all a crazy dream… But it was too weird and she so desperately wanted it to be real. The good with the bad, as awful as it was. Plus Popsicle said she had been having the cave dreams before now… So it must be!

"Guys… I… I don't know if I can go in today…"

She turned to see her parents watched her worriedly, "Did your nightmare bother you that much, honey?"

"Yeah…." Bothered was probably the last thing she was right now, "She – the woman – said a storm is coming."

If DG hadn't been looking for it, she would have missed the look that passed between the Tik Toks. That was hopeful enough for her to be able to go on, confirmation wise, "What storm?"

"I don't know," DG sighed, turned back to her closet, "I'll ask for clarification next time."

* * *

><p>Finally her robo-rents left her alone, and she was able to start planning and thinking about what she had to set up. Cain was always bugging her about running into things head first with no forethought. He would be proud how much she was working on this.<p>

She would have to so careful with her actions, something fairly foreign to her. Thankfully she had been training to be a diplomat under her mother. Granted this was pretty much completely different, but maybe the concept was the same. In Council meetings and Peace talks, you had to think through the repercussions of a small comment would have on your goal. She hadn't been very good at it, but she had to use that skill now.

DG figured it would be good to follow the 'flow of time', she supposed, when she first arrived in the OZ. She would find Glitch quickly, and have him lead her to Cain's cottage. They had stumbled on it by accident, and therefore she had no idea where it was. She'd have to have faith that Glitch would… well, glitch in the same way that he had the first time. They would get Cain to take them through the field of the Papay and find Raw. At that point, she would start being a more active player in this game.

Central City was important. She would need to keep the Mystic Man alive, at almost any costs. How many times had her mother said she wished she had his council when the riots began, or the magic was acting up? He would probably be able to speed up their research in that respect. Toto had said that he was extremely studied and verse in the Magic of the OZ. He was vital.

She also didn't want the Witch to find out that she was still alive too early on. She'd have to keep that on the down low. Cain, Glitch and Raw would need to know, but how? She was definitely not having them go to the Northern Palace to just be captured.

Wait. We get the Mystic Man off the vapors and he would spill. That wouldn't cause and questions about her sanity or her trust.

Trust… How could she do this? She'd end up manipulating her family and best friends… Yes, it was to save them, but… When – and they most definitely will – they find out what she was doing they would hate her, Cain especially. Could she do that? If it saved their lives – and that of the people – could she handle losing their friendships? Probably not, but she could pretend and she'd still have her family. Az would still love her and her parents would understand. It's what needs to be done. Hopefully eventually, she could explain everything to them, make them understand she hated that she was doing this, but she had to. She couldn't let them die after surviving so long.

Cain was also something she thought about a lot throughout the day. She remembered how he was when he first came out of the suit, which was completely understandable. Actually he should have been worse. The fact that he wasn't foaming at the mouth said a lot about his strength and character. But going from how they had been in the last few months to that again, would be hard. There was a lot he had to work through and he made a great deal of progress. She had helped him talk through things, but that was after the Eclipse, after she had gained his trust and shown that she cared. By that evening all she had come up with was taking each situation as it came. She loved him and she would be there for him, and hopefully not turn him away too much.

DG was also able to get some supplies to take with her. She had found a canvas drawstring bag in the back of her closet. She had gotten the first aid kit out from the bathroom and took some of the supplies – bandages, hydrogen peroxide, and stuff like that - and threw in some aspirin for good measure. She also set aside her Salvation Army combat boots she wore for hard farm work. While she loved having her converse with her in the OZ (when she got to wear them), the boots were more practical for trekking around the kingdom. She also left behind her favorite leather jacket. She didn't want it ruined this time. Plus, again, her long dark brown water proof jacket was more practical. Just hopefully it won't get her mistaken for a long coat. But there's enough difference between dark brown and black, right?

She also threw in some rations and water bottles. She was grateful that Jeb had gone behind his father's back and given her a basic lesson in fighting with knives. Popsicle's hunting knife would be a good fall back if things get hinky. She also rolled up a couple bras into a make-up bag to have for after the eclipse. Hopefully she could avoid too many corsets.

DG also thought about the future of a lot of her things. The farmhouse would be wrecked again, but the storage shed out towards the edge of the property would be just fine. She could move the things she wanted to keep safe out there and hopefully she could convince her mother again to let her come over. She took a box of clothing – jeans, t-shirts, pjs, leather jacket – and her converse out there. She was also able to move her motorcycle without her parents questioning her too much. She knew almost for a fact Cain wouldn't let her bring it back, and if by some slim chance he did, her mother would have a heart attack. But still this way she wouldn't have to see it in pieces.

She had finished most of her preparations by dinner time, and she could tell her parents were on edge. She figured something was going to happen, but she had a lot on her mind. So she grabbed bowl of Momster's homemade chicken soup and sat down on the porch railing to enjoy it one last time. _Maybe I could sneak the recipe and take it with me… Probably not… Damn_.

But robo-mom always had something to say, "DG, are you alright?"

"Yep, all good. Been cleaning my room, chores and such."

"Getting things ready?"

DG sighed, setting down her spoon, "Ready for what, mom?"

"I was wondering if you're planning a trip," And she pulled out some Australia flyers and put them down on the table.

DG figured that she wouldn't make a big deal out of this. It didn't matter anymore. So she just smiled serenely at her, something she picked up from the Queen, "You went through my stuff?"

They seemed thrown off by her lack of reaction but Popsicle continued on anyway, "She's been worried. We both have. You've been acting strange, distant."

"If you spend your every spare moment drawing your pictures, dreaming of another life, you're going to end up not living the one you've got," Momster tried to explain to her.

"This isn't my life," DG told them matter-of-factly, "This town, that job, taking other people's orders. That's not life, just passing time. There is more out there than this."

"And you think you'll find better out there?"

DG was quiet for a moment, turning her head to look out over the horizon, holding her hands in front of her. In that moment, Hank and Emily were acutely aware of DG's long forgotten heritage.

"I know there is better out there."

* * *

><p>"Will anything stand in my way?"<p>

"Lilo see nothing, but…"

"But what?"

"Lilo feels a power. A bright light casting out the darkness. Light from the Otherside, connected here."

* * *

><p>The rest of the evening was quiet, as DG steeled herself for what was coming. Time seemed to crawl by. Finally she couldn't take it anymore, and decided to take a nap. She would need the energy.<p>

When she fell asleep she began to dream. She saw the images her mother had wanted her to see. Before it had scared and confused her, but now it was a comfort. The dreams were real and the OZ was real. She saw her mother's face, strong again, but frightened.

"A storm is coming."

Last time, when DG reached out in her dream it was from fear of falling back. Now she just wanted her mother's embrace. She had only known the woman a matter of months and her memories were more than when she first arrived, but still not much. Even with all that, she loved Lavender, her mother. She loved Emily as well, and she would always be the one who raised her, but DG felt more of a connection with the Queen than she ever had with Emily. Of course they butted heads. DG had lived very differently on the Otherside and they both had very powerful and different personalities, but she was her mother. And she missed her mom.

"A storm is coming."

_I will be there soon, Mother. _

But soon enough DG awoke to thunder. The storm was, indeed, coming.

DG looked out the window and watched as the five Longcoats appeared in the field. It was time to go home.

DG was surprised how calm she was. But knowing what was going to happen had done a lot for her sense of peace. She could understand now why Wyatt liked to know all the details.

She was able to move around her room, quickly and quietly, pulling on her boots and jacket. Rushing and hurrying would get her nowhere. Besides it would take the Longcoats a few minutes to walk up to the house. She really didn't need to forget anything.

She pulled on her bag and made sure it was snug on her back. She didn't want it flying off in the storm. She heard her parents talking down in the living room and knew it was almost time.

With one last steadying breath, the bang of the front door and a prayer that she was doing right, DG headed down stairs for her nurture units. She made it to the first floor and saw her robo-dad doubled over in pain. She called and went to him, and was grabbed by a Longcoat. She smiled, everything was the same.

She elbowed the man behind her in the stomach and kicked him for good measure. She helped Hank stand and push over the bookshelf on top of the man. She watched as Emily struggled with her own Longcoat, and debated helping until she was able to step on his leg and get away. They climbed over the bookcase and DG 'accidently' fell into Hank making the bullet miss his leg.

DG allowed them to pull her upstairs and to her bedroom. Once they made it to the window, they began arguing about 'the plan'. She really wanted to shout at them that that had clearly gone out the window, but she kept her mouth shut for the time being. Besides, as she looked out the window, she could see that the travel storm was close, but not close enough yet. These last few seconds were important.

Eventually Hank and Emily were forcing her out the window, just as the Longcoats were breaking down the door. The three of them made it out on the roof in time, but the storm was still a foot or so out. The Tik Toks were going on about how the Longcoats were after her, but she wasn't listening. She was watching the storm. A few more seconds.

The head Longcoat stuck his head out the window and shot. Thankfully the wind was messing up his aim, and Emily and Hank were already pushing her towards the storm. Finally they could jump.

DG didn't hesitate, didn't fight. She was ready to go home. She gripped her packs strap and took a flying leap. The spinning was just as intoxicating as the other three times she's used a travel storm. She was out cold within two minutes.

When she woke again, she was on solid ground with something sitting on her chest. As she pushed it off she called out, "Mom! Dad!" She didn't know if she was calling to Hank and Emily or The Queen and Ahamo.

The brightness hurt her eyes. The storm was dark and the OZ had always been brighter than Earth, even when it was raining. As she got up and looked around, she remembered why. Two suns generally made things brighter.

The little princess smiled, "Honey, I'm home."

* * *

><p><strong>Yay! DG's in the OZ again. I'm writing this to the show (like I'm watching it and getting the exact dialogue) and I looked at the time. I'm less than ten minutes in… This is going to be a long Fic. I hope ya'll enjoy it! Leave a review please and tell me your thoughts!<strong>


	3. Chapter 2: Turkeys and Old Friends

**A/N: And here we go again. Chug, chug, chugin' along. Sorry, that was weird. Let's just read the chapter now. =D**

**Not betaed… I need one though.. **

**Disclaimer: Hang on... Let me check my deeds… Ah... Nope, Tin Man is not one of mine. **

* * *

><p>Chapter Two: Turkeys and Old Friends<p>

But DG couldn't sightsee for long. She had a date with some turkeys. She wouldn't have to look for them either. She could recognize the Eastern Guild's land from a mile away, and she had fallen deep within them. They'd come to her.

And sure enough, they dropped down in front of her, feathers and arrows all a blazing. She had held on to a piece of debris for that very reason, the arrows. These were a paranoid bunch; they'd gladly shoot her and never think about it again.

"Watchful! Be watchful! I like not the look of her."

"Back off Jack!" DG gave the closest Guild member a tap to show she meant business… Sorta.

"Gaze not into her eyes. For fear she'll turn you into a skree!" DG rolled her eyes. She never did figure out what a skree was.

"Who are you?"

"I'm DG, who are you?"

"I am Red Hat, and we are Resistance fighters of the Eastern Guild!"

"Do not speak of who we be! We know not of her trickery." _This rhyming is getting annoying_.

DG knew she needed to get the munchkins riled up so they'd take her to Glitch. As much as she didn't want to, she'd have to play the role of the helpless victim again.

"Trickery?" She said, trying to sound hurt, "My parents are missing, and I'm the victim of some sort of natural disaster-"

"Creatures do not fall from the sky lacking magic."

"Mobats fall from the sky!"

"Mobats have wings!"

"Wings or not, she's a SPY! A spy from the sky!"

Yep that did it. "No, I'm not a spy," DG began backing up looking for the net trap, "I'm not a spy."

And, yep. There it is.

She didn't scream this time, though she probably should have. She just sat there relatively patient to see one of her best friends alive again. He had died three and a half months before her 'time jump', five weeks after losing her parents and three before losing Az and Jeb. She tried to steel herself for seeing him as the midgets dragged her to their tree houses. Breaking down and crying when she saw him would mess too many things up. Actually, doing that with anyone she was going to 'meet' would not be beneficial to her cause.

She put up very little fight when they locked her in the bird cage thing, only enough to put up a show. As she sat listening to the interrogation, it took everything in her not to look up at her friend. But from where she sat, she could still see the top of his raggedy dreadlock and the gleam of his zipper. _How had I not noticed that the last time? I guess I was more worried about Momster and Popsicle. _

It was also hard for her to hear Red Hat and Indigo Feather to call Az the Sorceress. She wanted so badly to scream at them that it wasn't her sister's fault. That Az was fighting the Witch as much as she could. _It wasn't Az's fault._

"…Are we next on her list!"

The Royal in her that cared about her people – no matter how much they annoyed her – wanted to warn them that the Longcoats were indeed coming, but she and Glitch would need their arrival to act as a distraction for their escape. DG absolutely could not be captured by the Witch and Zero this early on, "I don't know about any list, but if this is how you guys treat strangers, I'm not surprised you have enemies."

They looked in her locket and she remembered how that picture was the one the Witch put on the wanted posters. It must have been picked up and brought to her after Indigo Feather dropped it, "You know, could you just give that to me? It has… Sentimental value."

"Our scouts spotted these two being pursued by Longcoats down the old brick route towards Central City."

"Or leading them there."

DG sighed. _When is this going to be over?_ "Someone saw my parents?"

"You say parents, I say spies."

"There is only one way to know if she speaks truth or lies. Strap her to the Flayer!" DG was _sooo_ glad she never found out what that was, "And she talks or dies."

"Warm up the blades."

"Squeal as you peel. 'Til the truth brings a deal!" What pleasant people.

Then Indigo Feather dropped her locket.

"HEY!" DG yelled. She hadn't even seen him prepare to drop it. _Well, I guess that's staying the same… _"You guys are out of your tiny minds!" It wasn't going to do her any bit of good, but it still felt nice to get out of her system. She found out that she wasn't allow to say that when they were in meetings with the Eastern Guild leaders. Who knew?

As they walked away, DG realized it was time to become acquainted with her cell mate. She looked up at him, and her heart lifted. He was tattered and filthy, hair a mess, and probably didn't smell too good, but he was here. Alive. And her fun, cheerful Glitch. That hadn't changed when he regained his brain. He just became the fun, cheerful, _smart_ Ambrose.

She clambered up and got a better look at him. She couldn't help the small smile that appeared on her face, "What are you doing?"

"Up here? Those… ANKLE BITERS!... thought it would be funny to keep my hanging around. Loosen that rope and I might have the last laugh," his eyes lit up and a sneaky smile settled on his lips. She kept her wide-eyed blank stare on her face, but it was trying.

"Come on, doll," DG had never really been the one for pet names back in Kansas – she had a name, use it – but she had picked up a lot here that she loved, and missed once they were gone. Doll, Spitfire, Angel, Baby Sister, Princess (only to be used by certain people), Darlin', Sweetheart… Though, it'd probably be a while before she heard those last two again. _If I ever do, "_If Mom and Pop are really on the route to Central City, you are falling further and further behind."

Well, she did want to get a move on, "You know the way?"

"Sure. Though it's kind of hard to give directions like this. Unless you have a better offer," Glitch was conniving when he needed to be. He knew that he didn't know the way – or if he did he knew he was going to forget it – but she was the only way that he was going to get down. DG thought that was the part of Ambrose that stuck around the most. She had seen him in a few Council Meeting, post brain surgery, and whoa. If DG had been made to become Queen, she knew right away who would be her Adviser. But, either way the good thing for his escape was, well... DG already loved him and she need him to guide her somewhere else.

So she loosened up the rope and he came down to her level. Well mostly, she was still short and he was still tall. But you get the picture. As she watched him straighten his jacket and dust off, she was acutely aware of just how much she had missed him. She figured this wouldn't be the first time that she would be thankful to the OZ for sending her back.

Glitch caught sight of her stare and looked offended, "Hey, you aren't so hot on first glance either, honey," But she barely heard him. It wasn't until he spoke again she notice.

"What? Is there a problem?"

"Hmm? OH! Umm…" She noticed his zipper was undone so she played off that, "Your…"

"What?" He turned in a half circle to look behind him, and for whatever reason DG thought it was funny. Maybe she was just happy that her life seemed to be pulling back together again.

"Hehe. Your…" She dropped into a stage whisper, "Your zipper's undone."

"Oh! Sorry, didn't mean to offend!"

DG had to look away when he pulled it closed. She was used to the shiny metal and even the pink scar he'd obtain later, but watching it zip and unzip, was disgusting. She just couldn't stomach it. Nope.

"You got to be careful not to lose your marbles," he gave a fake laugh, clearly trying to rid her of her slightly nauseous look, "But uh… Since the Sorcerous made her Medicos take mine, well…. You flick the abacus."

DG remembered that she wasn't supposed to know very much – or anything – about the OZ and all its weirdness. She'd have to try and remember to ask lots of annoying questions, "Why would they remove your brain?"

"Because of what I know. Or what I used to know. Whatever it was…" a dark, sorrowful look passed over Glitch's normally happy face and Dg felt a wave of guilt. _If the Witch had never been released, none of this would have happened…_

Silence rang out, and DG had to look away.

"The name's Glitch, on account of sometimes my synapses don't fire right… sometimes my synapses don't fire right."

That broke through some of DG's melancholy, and she gave a weak laugh, "You just said that."

Glitch looked at her with wide eyes, "Did I? Well, there you go! Glitching again!"

She figured they had a bit more time before the Longcoats showed up, so she just went on with the next part of the conversation that she could remember, "And here I was thinking this nightmare couldn't get any weirder."

"This isn't a nightmare," _But isn't it?_ "This is the OZ. The Outer Zone. Used to be a piece of heaven too. Until Azkadee got her claws into it."

There is was again. And DG just couldn't do it. None of this was Azkadilia's fault. In any way people tried to stretch it. But the Witch... Oh, DG has no issue blaming the Witch, "Ah... Sorceress of Darkness."

"Yep."

"Village Raider. Brain Theft."

"Longcoats!" The shout rang out in the trees. Now it was time for action.

DG waited for their mini guards to get farther away. Glitch still didn't like her plan. Granted she saw his point of view. Swinging from a giant bird cage twenty feet in the air was not something she had really wanted to repeat. Don't get her wrong, she's sort of an adrenaline junkie, but she had her limits. This was one of them. That and jumping off a cliff. That one wouldn't be so bad to repeat, mostly because Cain would be there to protect her. And Raw, on the off chance she got hurt.

So, she ignored Glitch's protests as she jumped. Soon enough she landed and was urging Glitch to get a move on. They really didn't have much time. The Longcoats would wait only so long to start cutting trees and they need to get on their way and get Cain out of his personal hell hole.

* * *

><p>But they had to find the cabin first. She remembered they had walked for a few hours before finding Cain, but it couldn't have been this long. She had been fairly anxious to get to Central City to find Momster and Popsicle. Was she really this bugged out to find Wyatt? <em>Yes, yes I am.<em>

DG sighed, "Are you sure you know the way to Central City?" _By which I mean Cain's Cabin_?

She was really wishing that she hadn't backed down is going to help destroy the Iron Maiden. It was one of her first royal acts. She really wanted to revitalize the judicial system – and by extension the punishments. The intentions had really gotten a lot of the people on her side at first, but it was very slow work and so many people wanted to Longcoats put to death immediately. She had started with ordering that all the Iron Maiden be destroyed – no one deserved that. She was working on making brain removal illegal when the plague and famine hit.

But before then, she had asked Cain what he would have liked her to do with his. She didn't know if he would want closure and deal with it himself, or if he would never want to be in the vicinity again. He did, indeed, want to take care off it himself. She offered to go with him, but he said he was fine on his own. She figured that meant that he'd rather deal with it on his own and if he need, he would talk to her later, like they had been.

But now as they walked in circles, she was seriously regretting that decision. She had no idea where it was, other than West of the Papay Fields, and her sense of direction was crap to begin with. That's what she had Wyatt for.

"The shining city on the hill? Sure!... The shining city on the hill? Sure!... The shining city on the hill? Sure!... The shining city on the hill? Sure!... The shining c-"

DG giggled, despite herself, it was good to be with friends, "You're glitching."

"Oh…" Glitch sat in embarrassed silence for only a split second, "My noggin wasn't always this way you know. In my hayday, I was Advisor Numero One. I was the top dog's…" DG smiled at her oddball friend's back as he tried to figure out his right hand, "right hand man!"

His paced slowed and she walked up beside him, "It would have all been great but her…."

DG knew how much it had helped him to work through his lapse before his surgery and it made him happy when he could remember things. So she gave him a small nudge to try and get him back on track "But her…?"

"But her… Ooohhh," But it didn't seem meant to be today, "I would love a fresh ear of corn right now with some butter right now, wouldn't yo-oou."

As Glitch tripped, the déjà vu settled over DG again. Last time she had just accused Glitch of being lost when they had heard the end of the projection. Was that the log that tipped her off? She thought that it was.

She peeled her ears and tried to distract Glitch so he wouldn't be so eager to just keep walking, "You said you knew the way to the old brick route…" The bird and crickets were too loud. Or maybe they were to fair away…

"Well, of course I do! It only the main thoroughfare in the whole OZ," he chuckled starting to sound nervous, "Why?"

"Because that's the same stump you tripped on hours ago," Was the cabin near here and they had walk right past it? She was so getting Cain or Jeb to teach her how to recognize her surrounding in the unending woods, "We've just gone in a big circle."

"A circle… Oh not again. The road is around here somewhere. I, I, I know it," _He has to be!_

That's when she heard it. The slamming of metal and Adora's and Jeb's screams. Hammers locking him in. It was an awful sound and DG again was proud of her Tin Man's strength for being able to listen to it for Ozma know how long and still be sane. She wouldn't be able to.

"You look familiar. Have we met before?"

_You have no idea,_ "Shhh! Did you hear that?"

"Yeah… No…"

But DG didn't wait. She ran in the direction of the horrid sounds. Before long, a bloodied Cain came into view, along with five Longcoats and Zero dragging Adora out of the small home. For a split second DG had wished – not for the first time – that Adora was still alive, but for different reasons this time. She would have like to have been able to get to know the woman that Cain had fallen in love with. That in it's self was special, in DG's opinion. She was beautiful, even now. Long sandy brown hair and neat waves, flowy, simple white dress. But, as DG watched her struggle against her captors, she admired Adora's strength and will. She had to be willful to have lived with Wyatt as long as she had been allowed.

They watched as Zero hit Cain as savagely as he could. DG flinched, wishing there was something she could do. But the past was the past. Well, at least that part of it was set.

"Yeah, that's the life in the OZ these days. Tough and tougher."

She listened as Wyatt yelled in anger and it was a great struggle for her not to just cry. This was harder to watch a second time.

And then Jeb was drug out. This was where Adora started get desperate, as only a mother could. She was yelling for her child's safety but Jeb was most definitely his father's son. He was fighting, throwing punches and kicks and biting. DG had always liked Jeb and she figured she was starting to love him – in a different way of course.

She watched as Jeb was struck and she couldn't take it anymore. She barely listened to Glitch's comment as she lost her head and went for her fall back – a stick. In the back of her mind she knew that this wasn't real, but hey, she runs off of her emotion and she was _pissed_.

She ran into the fray, swinging her stick, just wanting it to end. As she watched as the scene broke up, she was slightly angry at Glitch for trying to stop her. How could he not want to stop this torture? But she pushed it aside as she took in the decrepit cabin.

Again she had to play her role, "What just happened?" but her heart wasn't in it. She wanted to run to the suit and pry it open. But she remembered what Cain had told her one night when both of their newly acquired insomnia was acting up.

"_I didn't even realize that the protection had stopped for a good couple of minutes. I was so numb and it had just kept replaying, it took up a background role sometimes. It was a good thing you and the Headcase didn't notice the suit right away. It gave me a bit of time to process what was going on and that you were going to help me." _

So she had to wait a bit, as not to give the man a heart attack. She could be patient. Maybe.

She kept her eyes trained solely on Glitch as he moved over to the post in front of the home, "What is that?"

"It's a TDESHPTL. Tri-Dimensional Energy Stored Holographic Projection Time Loop. Heh. Nifty little thing."

"That was fake?" Oh, how she wished.

"No. It happened. Sometime or another."

Ok, she waited long enough, "Why would they have it playing over and over again, if there was no one here to watch it?"

"Well, I think it…" Glitch faded off into his own thoughts, but DG was already turning. She hoped she gave him enough time.

She began to move towards the suit, and Glitch noticed and followed. Reaching it, she knocked on the chest and got a response. Yep, he was ready to get out of there. _Oh, that sounded so wrong. Like cooking piece of meat or something._ She felt Glitch jump back and she stepped back and up on her toes, trying to see in the small glass window. But it was too dirty and she was too short.

"There's someone in there!"

"Or something!" But she was on a mission and ran over to the anvil and grabbed the hammer left there. She ran back and found the pins holding the suit closed. She really should have been more worried about looking like she knew too much, but the only one that would really notice was Glitch and he was bound to forget in a second anyway.

Finally the door swung open and again admitted a foul odor. But really, he had been in there eight to ten years. He wasn't going to smelling too daisy fresh. Glitch had a tight grip on her and she was glad. Because if he hadn't, she would have moved to catch Cain as he fell and that show of weakness and need for assistance would have had him pushing hard away from her. At least, this early on. He had things he was going to have to work through himself, first.

But she couldn't keep quiet. She tried to keep her own anxiety out of her voice – and failed – and project only that she cared about him, "Are you okay?"

Breathing heavily, a rusty ill-used version of Wyatt's voice wafted up to her ears. "Where are they?"

And her heart broke a little bit more.

**This one was more on the money. Basically identical to the corresponding parts of the mini-series. Kinda boring, but you'd be amazed how the smallest changes ripple out, as I am finding as I trudge through the next couple of chapters. **


	4. Chapter 3: Nasty Run Ins

**A/N: This one was much more fun for me to write. More stuff I actually got to write and use my own ideas. Plot is unfolding bit by bit. More Language of 'the Ancients' and all that. **

**I also want to thank the wonderful people who have reviewed and story alerted. It means so much! And I'm really glad ya'll like the story. So, thanks Purplerhino, anon, deadgloves, Risa, Akaalias, sheep22, MarvelGoddes, Kristinwd40, Dreamingdreams, and DHudson. And as I have had a few people ask, yes this will carry on past the end of the mini-series. I have actually written the last chapter of the mini series and the two that follow. I just have to get through this part. :/**

**Disclaimer: I think I can… I think I can… I think I can… I think I can… Nope, I can't own Tin Man. Poo…**

* * *

><p>Chapter Three: Nasty Run Ins<p>

It was a slow process, watching the man that left the suit transform, physically, into the Tin Man she remembered. The emotional part would follow eventually.

It took all of her extremely limited self-restraint to not try and help him. Or touch him. Or hold on to him and never let go. But eventually, he was back in his light blue shirt, leather vest and tight pants. A part of her that was constantly restless when he wasn't around settled with a content purr. _This is kind of sad, DG._

She sighed as Cain stared out over the water, "He just had to stand there and watch as his family got tortured over and over again," she stated more than asking this time. But Glitch was still compelled to speak.

"The most imaginative tortures are saved for those who resist Azkadilla," _The Witch, not Az._ That was why she worked so hard to get rid of those tortures. She had seen too many of them first hand.

Cain turned and started to walk towards them. She watched him and was curious, but not hopeful, "How long were you trapped in there?"

"Since that was a sapling," She and Glitch looked at the tree in question. Nope, still no straight answer. Some day she would get it out of him.

He walked past them and she heard him stop. She turned and watched his back, knowing that his noble nature was yelling at him to be grateful while he pride was hurting.

"Much obliged for the help."

DG smiled a bit. He really was a good man, even when he was grumpy, "You're welcome, Mister Cain. Um…" She cleared her throat. It hurt more than she had thought it would that she had to remind him of her name. He didn't know who she was. _This is going to be more trying than I thought, _"I'm DG, by the way, and this is -"

"I know. A Headcase."

"I have a proper name, you know," Glitch said indignant, but the pause held on too long, "And when I remember it, I will tell you."

It was easier now to ask these 'stupid questions' because before Cain had been the one she would go to about the OZ's weirdness. He was always patient with her and didn't talk to her like she should have already known about whatever it was. He also probably knew the most about the Otherside because he'd actually talk to her about it, "What's a Headcase?"

Cain was fastening his trusty holster and switched into was DG called 'teacher mode'. It was such an easy thing for him. No wonder Jeb was so smart, "It's what the state does to reeducate criminals. They rip out their brains and make them prisoners of their own minds."

He stopped and DG knew that this was not a time to interrupt him. When he was ready he would speak again when he was ready. She was able to see the toy horse that he had made for Jeb. Cain tucked it into his breast pocket and grabbed his Tin Man star.

As he stuck it in his pocket he fell back on his defense mechanism – cold exterior and snappy comments, "Ain't that right, convict?"

"Hey! Whoa. I ain't no convict!" Glitch stomped after him and Cain rounded the corner of the cabin, "And just in case I am, it was a bogus charge! A frame job, I'm sure of it!"

When Cain reemerged, he was wearing his beloved duster and hat. _All is right with the world, _DG chuckled under her breath.

"Yeah well… I'll see you down the road."

Whoa, he's leaving. Bad, bad. "Oh, actually we're looking for a road. We're looking for the brick route that leads to Central City," DG was more focused on the fact that Cain was going to ditch them – and she didn't doubt that he would without some prompting – than the fact that she shouldn't know what Central City was. They needed to get to Raw before he was eaten. This was a bit time sensitive, "Do you know of it?" _Dumb questions are getting on my nerves._

"Yeah, it's were Zero was heading after…" DG couldn't keep the concerned and caring look off her face. As Cain looked up he appeared as if he saw it, and closed off to any emotion, "It's where I'm headin' now."

She smiled brightly at him, he was falling into her evil plan, "Great, we'll go with you!"

"I've got business. And besides, I don't travel with kids, or convicts." _Ackk… There's that 'kid' thing again. I need to break him of that real fast this time. Sigh… Like that will happen. _

"I'm not a kid and the people who came to your home came to mine," _In more ways than you realized, Wyatt. Let me help you and you help me_, "I'm just looking for my parents."

"And I'm looking for my brain," Glitch threw in unhelpfully.

DG eyed him as she tried to continue, "Maybe we can help you-"

"Maybe you can what? Find my wife? My boy?" Here DG decided that she wasn't getting anywhere with the script from last time. Getting angry at him wasn't going to work well. Time to change tactics. She took up an open and caring face, as she tried to listen calmly to his reprimand, "They're gone. Probably just like your folks are."

He turned to walk away, but DG knew that he would come back. He always did, when he was grumpy and snapped at her – even though his comments were generally true. This was one of the few times he was wrong.

And sure enough, he stopped walking and his head dropped as his conscience got the better of him, "Look, nothing personal kid, but look at ya. The first sign of trouble, you're just going to cut and run."

At this, DG laughed lightly, looking down at her folded hands. He only wished she would. And he had told her so, many times. Along with her mother, father, sister, Glitch, and Jeb. Raw generally laughed along with her, knowing she was never going to change.

She looked up at her Tin Man to see him completely thrown off by her response. Well, she could tell he was. To Glitch he probably looked just as stubborn as ever, "Nothing personal, but you don't know what I'm looking for or what I'm trying to do. You don't know me, Mister Cain," the formality taste wrong on her tongue, but she continued to speak as kindly as she could, while trying to show Cain that he was not allowed to just make assumption like that about her, "Come on, Glitch, we'll find the way ourselves."

She easily skirted around him, Glitch scurrying behind her, thrown off by her speech. She barely made it two feet past him before he spoke again, always picking a fight with her, "The way? The way leads through the field of the Papay." _Yes, it does. Can we go now?_

But Glitch froze and spun around faster than her magic doll, "Papay?"  
>DG had never really been that scared of the creatures, except the first time she had encountered them. She actually thought they were kind of cute, much to everyone's chagrin. She thought their needly scale things were cool. And they really are sweet when they aren't starving to death.<p>

But she figured she need to stick to her plan just a little bit longer as they got to Raw, "What? I've been tossed into a storm, trussed up by lawn gnomes, chased by madman on horseback. How bad can Papay's be?"

"I've seen them gnaw people in half inside thirty seconds." _Well, you would too Cain, if that might be your only meal for a month._

But DG really couldn't complain much, because she saw the back of his hat drop – probably looking up to Ozma for guidance and patience, heheh – and his shoulder's slump slightly. He was giving in. It was only a matter of time, "Zipperhead, keep your mouth shut and Kid, you stay behind me."

Glitch's mouth dropped open as he turned to look at her, and DG smiled widely at her success. She walked up behind him, and asked something she had still been wondering for months after that day, "Why the sudden change of heart?"

"Believe me… Heart's got nothing to do with it." But DG knew it did. It had too.

* * *

><p>Cain had put up a brutal pace – like he always did – but this time DG didn't complain. In fact, a few times she was walking faster than him. That was the downside to this time thing she has found herself in. She absolutely had to get to Raw on time, but she didn't really know what 'on time' was. She just had to be there before the pack ate its prey.<p>

But luckily before long they made it to the fields before too long. It was sad to see the trees all dead again. DG had put a lot of work into healing them and she had really loved the blossoms. They were gorgeous. The fruit she could live without, but after the famines hit the farming fields, she wasn't complaining much. That's all they had. They had been lucky that the Papay like her so much, she had been able to garner a trade for their harvest to be spread to all the people of the OZ.

Now she was keeping her eyes peeled for the trap that Raw was in. It shouldn't be that hard to spot in all this death, a big blueish white sack, right?

"Footprints. Only a couple hours old. One's got farming treads. A farmer would know to stay out of the Papay's fields," Cain told them looking around.

"That's probably my dad. He always wears his work boots," DG said slightly spacy. She just couldn't see anything. She really hoped that they hadn't missed him. She walked around Cain trying to get a better look.

"Hey, Kiddo," his loud tone startled her and she turned to face him, worried, "A little heads up before you lose yours… Runner's hate water. Probably why they smell so bad. So keep your noses peeled. When it's time to run, you'll know."

"My sinuses are flaring," Glitch said worriedly. DG couldn't help but roll her eyes. She loved the man, but sometimes…

They were moving again, once Cain heard the call of a Papay scout. Something was caught. Was it Raw?

They walked on until DG saw some of the enzyme that the Papay use, "Hey what's that?"

Cain turned towards her voice, "What's what?"

When he caught sight of what she was talking about, he grabbed her arm as she walked closer to it, trying to look past and around the tree it was on, "Ahh, don't touch that! That's a pre-digestive enzyme the Papay runners use to tenderize their meat. Come on, let's go."

But of course, DG doesn't listen to him. She walks around the tree, Glitch following. She heard Cain faintly groan, but he followed also. She walked on a ways, finally finding Raw.

"There's someone in there." Good, they were not too late.

"An advance runner party probably snared it. We need to get out of here before their friends come back."

DG was really shocked. She hadn't remembered this about her friends last time. She knew that everyone was afraid, but this constant 'every man for themselves' attitude was probably harming them more. If they had been more apt to help each other, the Resistance might have been more effective, "You can't just leave him here."

"You snatch a dinner form a runner, you best be ready to become its replacement. Let it be," Cain explained calmly, but with underlying authority.

"Oh, the poor thing must be scared to death," DG cooed close to the fleshy material. Hopefully Raw could hear her and understood that she was going to get him out.

But Cain wasn't going to budge. DG realized that he was used to having control and now that he was back in the position to have it, he was going to soak it up. But DG was going to have to show him that he wasn't going to be able to push her around. Would she submit to a lot of his ideas because they were better – and safer? Yes, but she wasn't going to kowtow to him. The sooner they got that establish, the smoother this was going to be for all those involved.

So, when he said more forcefully, "Okay, come on. Let's go," she took the opportunity to 'forget' about the knife in her boot and be a little resilient.

She turned to him as he moved to step away and said sweetly, "Can I borrow your razor?" As he slowly turned to eye her, she held out her small hand and the stare down became a battle of wills. Not taking his eyes off of hers, Cain reached into his inside jacket pocket and withdrew the desired object. With a flick he opened it and DG smiled sweetly at him. They had an understanding.

He bent down and cut open the sack, and Raw burst out and fell to the ground. He didn't stay there for long. Soon he was up on his feet, roaring at them. Glitch and Cain didn't seem to put off by it, but DG certain didn't like it. She knew her gentle-hearted friend and he didn't normally act like that. In the logical part of her brain she knew that he had no idea who they were or that they were friendly – he had just been sprung from a Papay trip, for Ozma's sake – but for her it was all too much like when she had watch him take his own life. His screaming and anger – fear and frustration –, building until he couldn't take it anymore.

DG subconsciously took a step closer to Cain, wanting to get away from that mental image. He took note of this, reading it as fear, and quickly drew out his gun. Raw immediately curled in on himself, and DG saw her shy friend reemerging.

"You want that bad attitude dripping out of your ears?" Cain quipped. DG quickly placed a hand on his arm, and he stiffed. She probably shouldn't have touched him, but they needed to move. If she remembered correctly, they would be needing a head start pretty soon.

"I think that we should get out of here," she stepped a little closer to his side, and tried to used what little strength her petite frame had to urge him in the right direction. Luckily he was still shocked from the first touch he'd received since getting out of the suit. But it still only moved him about a foot and a half. So when the Papay came running up from behind them, it bit into DG's leg instead of Cain's.

DG gritted her teeth to the pain as she was pulled away from the offending animal. "RUN! GO!" Cain yelled as the other two sprinted off. Cain pushed DG in front of him, and she stumbled only slightly before her adrenaline kicked in enough to block out the pain and allow her to run. They made their way through the dead trees, Cain yelling at them to keep running. Like they were going to stop.

More Papay had now joined the first, and DG could hear Cain loading up his gun behind her. He took off a few shots, hitting his mark, but it didn't really do a whole lot in the grand scheme of things.

DG was a ways ahead of him when he began to run again. He yelled again, "Run! Go DG!" and her heart stopped a little bit. She was flashing back to their desperate flight out of Fineaqua, running through the city, away from Zero – any of the many times that had been on the run in that last month or so. Her panic was beginning to rise and she had to forcibly remind herself that this was nothing like that. They were going to survive – easily – and it was never going to come to that again.

They continued to run until they came to the edge of the cliff.

Cain came up behind them, "GO!"

"But the fall might kill us!" Glitch yelled.

"Well, they definitely will!" Cain told him, firing off a few more shots.

Then Raw just jumped. And he said he didn't have any courage. Granted he was probably more afraid of the Papay than the fall, but DG had – and still does – need Cain and Glitch to push her over.

"Ok on the count of three. One," Cain started to count and DG subtly wrapped one hand tightly around the edge of his duster, the other on her bag strap, and held on for dear life. She was so getting sick of these heights.

"Three!" Glitch yelled and down they went.

* * *

><p>"She searches through the East."<p>

"Looking for what?"

"Love. The ones she loves."

The water in the tank bubbled and images emerged that deeply worried the old witch.

A girl with elegantly curled dark hair and bright blue eyes, laughing openly, looped her arm through that of… Azkadillia Gale!

"Come on, Az. I think that there is a certain captain of Mother's Army that would greatly enjoy a dance with the Heir Apparent," the girl teased.

"Don't even think about it!" Az said quietly, ducking her head as she blushed prettily.

The Witch raged. The image of the body she inhabited was burned into her mind. The hair she kept long and in intricate imposing hairstyles had been cut to shoulder length and was down in soft waves. The dress was also soft and flowing, nothing like her beloved fitted metallic or leather gowns. It was clear that something was horribly, horribly wrong.

The scene before her shifted again. Azkadillia shyly took the hand of a young man in a Royal House of Gale officer's uniform, blush still present on her face. The young man with blond short hair and blue eyes was also sporting an interesting shade of Witch could not believe these lies_. _The imaged panned away from the dancers and the Witch's eyes rested on the face of the girl she was chasing. She was standing next to a tall blonde man. The Witch saw Zero stiffen out of the corner of her eye.

The man, ice blue eyes alight with silent, slightly stern amusement, leaned down to whisper to the girl, "DG, what have you done?"

The young woman turned to him, failing the fight against her smile, "Whatever do you mean, Cain?"

The Witch was no longer paying attention, "DG?" _That lying wrench. Whatever she has done will not work. I'll see to that. _

"Sorceress, what does-" The Witch didn't think. She lifted her hand and with a jolt of magic, Zero and Lilo's memories of the last few minutes were gone. It didn't matter; those images were lies. No need for those thoughts in their minds.

"Get a shovel."

"Yes, m'lady," a dazed Zero responded.

* * *

><p>The majestic Queen of the OZ looked out on the projections around her. The lakes and trees stopped being attractive two years ago. They were now just another part of her lonely existence.<p>

So, needless to say, it surprised her when the face and body of her eldest daughter came walking in, fuming with barely controlled anger. It had been months – or maybe it was only days. Time felt different in isolation – since the thing that had taken over her daughter had come to gloat.

"You lied to me! She's alive!" Azkadillia paced while she yelled, "How could you do such a terrible thing," She turned to face the woman who was now a possible liability. _What magic have you set in motion, silly little queen?_

"It won't work, you know. She's still a child."

"She's here, isn't she? In the OZ?" Oh, years of waiting and sorrow have now paid off of the Queen.

"Tripping over her pig tails as she wanders in circles," she sneered, coming to stop in front of the older woman.

"Thank the stars," Lavender breathed. She only prayed that the strength and will that DG carried as a young girl still thrived in her now. She would need it.

"What else do you have planned?" The Witch gritted through her teeth. Now that she was aware of it's presence, the Witch could feel the remnants of a very powerful spell. The theories were running through her head, all of them preposterous for a weak Queen of _Moriens_ Light. The power needed for such things were… _No. There have not been such kinds in a thousand years. _

"Nothing. I… There is no plan."

The Witch turned away. She should just leave the Queen here to live on a false hope. But then again, that must be how she had defied her for so long. This belief that her sweet little angel will return to save her and the kingdom. No, she had to quell this now. This magic was too powerful to leave uncheck. But the Witch wasn't afraid. Oh, no. She just didn't like to leave lose ends.

She turned quickly on her heels and marched through the sand in front of the decrepit Queen, "Listen closely, Daughter of the _Potens_ Light," even the use of the formal title tasted foul on her tongue, "However you have played with the flow of Power in the OZ, it matters not."

The Witch allowed, for the first and only time, for her own face and voice to shine through that of her puppet. The Queen was frightened to she her beautiful daughter's face morph and the Witch smiled, "Your darling daughter Azkadilla is no more, and her body is mine and forever will be. And the little Dorothigale will soon follow."

Azkadillia's face returned and she stomped out. Just before she disappeared off the island, the Witch snapped her fingers and freezing rain came down on the Queen.

As Lavender shivered, she stared after the spot where the image of her daughter disappeared. _No. My heart must live in there. Somewhere. I wouldn't be alive if she weren't still able to hold back this evil enough to save me. My daughters are strong and they will win this fight. _

The Queen sighed, _But what has that thing riled up so? And what did she mean by flow of power?_

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><p><strong>Hmmm… The Witch is pretty riled up. Hehehe…. <strong>

**Review and tell me what ya'll think! It helps me write faster! It really does. Fellow writers will understand this. **


	5. Chapter 4: Travel Companions

**A/N: Well… School, Life, and Work decided to team up in an Unholy Trinity and run me over with a 18-wheeler. Filled to the brim with eighty tons of cement. You know the ones. *****Sigh***** But anyway, I really like how this chapter came out. It was fun to write. **

**Disclaimer: I have a hat like Cain's. Can I have the Cain to match? No… *cries***

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><p>Chapter Four: Travel Companions<p>

DG stared out over the lake/huge river they had just swam through and decided something. She was so done with heights. Yep. Never again. Well, expect at the Tower. Though, hopefully, it won't come to that.

But sighing, she went back over to the fire Cain and Glitch had started. She was trying not to limp; she didn't want to draw attention to the injury. She was lucky that her coat was just long enough to cover the worst of the bloodstain.

She slipped her pack off her back and sat down heavily on a log. She was glad it was that waterproof camping canvas material, she hadn't thought about it. As Glitch tried to wrap up in his jacket for warmth, she held her hands out to the fire and looked over at Raw. He was sitting a good five feet away, curled into himself. She hated that he was so scared of them.

"Hey, do you want to come closer to the fire? Warm up?" DG called to him.

"You should have left me to die," Raw said, tears evident in his voice.

"Oh, great… A basket case," DG shot him a short glare before standing up. He's been spending too much time with Cain.

DG walked over to her friend, slowly and noisily, so he'd know she was there. As she got closer, she saw his head turn ever so slightly; seemingly curious at why this odd girl would approach him. She reached out to touch him, and he admitted a small grow, but DG was not to be deterred. She wanted to get Raw to trust her, dang it, and she was going to do it.

She finally made contact with his fur and Raw reacted immediately, grabbing her hand. Glitch and Cain jumped up, running to her rescue. Unnecessary, of course, but Cain had his gun pointed at the poor Viewer. Even now it amazed her how quickly they were ready to protect her, even though – to them – they had just met.

"Stay right there!" Cain said, his Tin Man persona coming out in the command.

DG held up a hand to block him, smiling kindly to the Viewer, "It's okay. We're all friends here," _Well, we will be soon. Ish._

Raw looked up into her eyes and moved to rub her small one in between his large furry ones, "You are sad. You miss your mother, you father…" DG nodded. It was true enough, "Your family was gone. Very sad. Scared."

DG could feel the other two men's eyes on the side of her head. She subtly slipped her hand out of Raw's. He was getting a little too close for comfort. So she did what she always does when it comes to emotional or verbal conflict. Divert, "My name's DG. What's yours?"

Raw looked at her with a knowing look. Yeah, he figured that one out, but he played along. He grabbed a stick and wrote in the mud and sand.

"Raw… Well, it's certainly to the point," Glitch commented, and Raw growled at him a bit.

When Raw turned his head, DG was able to see the open wound that showed where he had been hooked up to one of the Witch's machines, "You're injured." _This is why I brought the first aid kit. _

"He's a Viewer," Cain said, before he moved back to rekindle the fire.

"Viewers are kind of like psychics. Only, instead of seeing with their mind, they see with their hearts," Glitch explained before DG said anything, "Azkdee abducts his kind and gets her Alchemists to suck the second sense right out of them."

"Oh, you poor thing," DG said, placing a hand on his shoulder. She smiled brightly when her touch was accepted.

"Look, kid, I don't know where you came from," Cain said from his place, kneeling beside the fire, "But if you have any interest surviving in the OZ, you need to get one fact straight real fast..."

He looked up at her and his ice blue cold eye bore into hers, "Trust no one."

DG was able to refrain from making a face at him, but she hadn't realized she was still touching Raw, "DG more sad. Not like what he say, what he feel. Wrong."

DG pulled her hand away and cleared her throat, ignoring the stares. More diverting, "I might have something to help you head," And she quickly turned towards the fire and her bag.

Which was a big mistake, because as she turned and moved to take a step at the same time, her leg – which she had completely forgotten was injured – was on fire and gave out on her and she fell into the leaves. Everyone was up and rushing towards her the second they heard her yelled.

"DG!" As Glitch jumped over her legs to kneel on her other side, he displaced the flap of her coat. Not much, but enough for Cain's super eyesight to see a hint of blood.

And as he got closer, he did. He grabbed the edge of her jacket and flipped it back, revealing two nasty holes in her upper calf and lower thigh, "Why didn't you say anything!"

"We were a little preoccupied at the time, Cain," DG said through gritted teeth, "And besides, it's not that bad."

"Not that bad? Doll, you'd better hope those Runners don't have Fangpox!" Glitch said, helping her roll over on her side.

As she turned over, DG saw Raw edging closer. She knew what he wanted to do and smiled at him. Apparently that was all he needed because he shuffled over and knelt down. As he went to place a hand on her wound, Cain saw the motion out of the corner of his eye. He caught the Viewer's hand before he could touch her, "Hey!"

In a surge of determination to help the kind girl with more love than he had ever seen in a human, Raw looked Cain square in the face and stated, "Heal wound. Soothe," before moving his other to DG's leg. She gritted her teeth against the beginning pain, but soon enough the healing was over and she relaxed. Insta-healing was a weird sensation.

DG opened her eyes to look at Raw but found that he was looking up at Cain, forehead wrinkled. Cain seemed to notice this too and tried to pull his hand away but Raw twisted his grip and held on to his wrist. Raw's eyes slid closed as he read Cain.

"Brave man. Good man," Raw opened his eyes in surprise, "Tin Man."

"Oh!" Glitch cried, helping DG stand, "I might have known you were a Tin Man, with that attitude," he glanced at the girl beside him, wiping off her back and jeans, "Ah, Tin Men are what they call police men in Central City… I think."

DG felt a smile forming on her lips and tried to fight it but was failing pretty hard, "You're a cop?"

Cain grunted, "Was. Until Zero found out I was part of the Resistance," his voice took on a bitter tone, stealing the smile playing at her lips, "You saw the rest." He stood up and went back to the forgotten firewood and DG felt terrible for smiling now. _Smooth, Deeg. Way to go._

She sighed and looked around. Glitch had moved back by the fire and Raw was staring at the ground again. He seemed to be realizing the step he had taken in reading Cain and was becoming timid again.

"Hey Raw," DG said going to kneel beside him, "Thanks for healing my leg. That would have been really annoying to walk all the way to Central City with," She earned a small smile from the Viewer, "How about I help you now, yeah?" she patted his leg before she stood and walked around a brooding Cain to her bag. She opened it and began to dig through it.

"Whacha got there, DG?" Glitch asked. DG smirked, Glitch always like new toys.

"Just some supplies."

"Where did it come from?" Cain asked, suspicious.

"I had it with me when I came over from the Otherside. The dark canvas blends with my dark jacket. Aha! Found it!" DG exclaimed as she withdrew the gallon Ziploc baggie of first aid essentials. She fished out a cleansing pad and a covering.

"Raw, if you'll let me, I can treat your wound. I mean I'm no healer, and certainly no Medic, but I do know that you are supposed to keep an open wound clean. And I have a feeling that we aren't going to be very hygienic for a while, so some dressings might help."

Raw nodded at her and she smiled brightly, "Good. Hop on up here, buddy," she patted a stump next to the fire.

As he walked over, Cain sat on an opposite them and checked his gun, "Kid, he has a healing gift, just in case you hadn't noticed."

"It's easier to preform surgery on someone else than it is to preform it on yourself, Cain," DG deadpanned, not even looking at him while she prepared her items.

"DG right," Raw growled quietly as he sat down, "Few people understand. Can heal self but takes a lot of energy and meditation. Time. "

"More time than we have, right?" DG said, finally looking him in the eyes, "This won't take too long and we'll be on our way."

* * *

><p>Like she said, it didn't take the kid long to fix up the Furball. It seemed as though she was fairly well practiced in dressing injuries. When she was finish, she packed up her things, secured it on her shoulders and turned to him for directions. She was definitely an odd one.<p>

He had been leading them West, after the trail they had found, for about an hour and a half now, and while Zipperhead was whining up a storm, DG was surprising him.

Clearly she had come from the Otherside, and he had figured that she'd not be ready or equipped to trek across the OZ, but she was keeping pace with him, never slowing or asking for a break. And on top of that, she had been able to get the shy Viewer – an oxymoron if Cain ever did hear one – out of his shell and converse. With her, anyway. She also was able to get Glitch to quiet down most of the times. Cain hadn't shot him yet, so that in and of itself was a testament to her abilities. She seemed to have a real gift with people.

But something the Viewer had said was being to bug him. _DG more sad. Not like what he say, what he feel. Wrong_. They didn't even know each other that well, why would she have gotten upset by what he had said? And who was this slip of a girl to say he was wrong about not being able to trust people here? He had a fair amount of personal proof to that fact. And why the hell did he care?

But none the less, it bugged him. So finally he decided to ask her about it. The Zipperhead was animatedly talking to the silent Furball while DG walked in front of them, smiling slightly. He slowed to allow her to catch up with him. She glanced up at him, and didn't seem to know what to do. Okay, maybe she wasn't good with people.

He cleared his throat, suddenly very nervous. _What in Ozma's name are you doing, Wyatt? You're nervous?_ "I had a question for you," he left it at that and speed up a few lengths. The kid seemed to get the message and followed.

With a good four feet between them and their companions, Cain felt he could maybe talk to her. _Get a grip_, "Something the Furball said has been troubling' me."

"He has a name you know, Mister Cain," she said looking straight ahead. The corner of her mouth was quirked up slightly. He was finding that the whole 'mister' business was grating on his nerves. And he was normally a patient man and he saw value in respect. But he hated hearing it from her.

"Hmmmm… Yeah, okay," he figured that this topic was best just jumped into, "What was he talking about when he said you didn't like what I was saying or feeling?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about." She had a pretty good poker face. Too bad he wasn't an idiot.

"Kid…"

DG scrunched up her nose and frowned, but still wouldn't look at him, "I'm not a kid."

"What was Raw talking about?"

She sighed, shoulders slumping, "You said not to trust anyone. But I don't think that's true."

Cain rolled his eyes. _Of course, you don't._ She must be lacking a good sense of self preservation, "Look, you don't know this place very well, its –"

"I can trust you, can't I?" Crystal blue eye met his unexpectedly and he was shocked. A deep part of his mind that had been feeling weird for that past few days – even still back in the suit – was hurt by the fact that she even though to ask that question.

"Of course, you can. But that's –"

"Then I can trust _someone_," She looked away from him and the more 'logical' part of Cain's brain started berating him for letting her distract him, "And Glitch and Raw are okay, yeah?"

"Well, yes. But –"

"See, so I can trust people, at least three. And I figure, you'd put my parents on that list, so that's five," _Plus my sister and your son, so that's actually seven. Oh! And the Mystic Man and Toto. But doubt Cain would say Toto…But that's still nine. Take that, Mr. GrumpyTightPants. _

"Listen," Cain growled, grabbing her arm, pulling her to a halt. She was talking circles around him, and he felt unbalanced. "All I was trying to point out was that the OZ is dangerous and you trust just too easily," Even as Cain said, though, he didn't want her to change. There was innocence about her that he wanted to protect, "You need to be a bit more wary of people. When you found any of us, you didn't know what we were like."

"But, I guess, that's what I have you for now, right? You can help me wade through all those shady characters," she looked up at him with a thousand watt smile, clearly amused by her statement – why, Cain had no idea.

"Kid…" he groaned. She wasn't getting it. _But what are you trying to make her understand?_

She sobered up almost immediately at that. She looked straight ahead, down the brick road. Pursing her lips, she mumbled, "I'm not a kid," and walked quickly away from him.

* * *

><p>Within the next two hours of walking, Cain tried to DG again, but she remained closed off. She conversed with the Headcase and Viewer just fine, but he tried she became tightlipped. Yeah, she made small talk with him, but it quickly turned awkward and she generally hightailed it back to the other two.<p>

Cain had figured out that DG had a fair gift conversing with people; it just seemed that she was stumped with him. And Cain had no idea why this bothered him so much. He had always had a hard time talking with people he didn't know. And figuring how he and the kid met, he wasn't surprised that she didn't know what to do with him. But he still wanted to talk with her.

Maybe that was his problem. He _actually_ wanted to talk with her. He didn't understand it, but from what he had experienced of her, she was strong-willed, compassionate and passionate, and had a different way of looking at things. The only conversation they had had went in a completely different direction than he had intended and it had surprised him. While Cain didn't usually say much, he wasn't incompetent. He could steer a conversation or situation to his liking in most cases. The fact that he couldn't with this girl, was… Different. He wanted to talk with her and see what she had to say.

But he didn't seem to be getting the chance to. They walked on, Cain silently leading the way and the others trailing behind. At least they were until the Zipperhead started up again. What happened to keeping his mouth shut?

"How about a pit stop, Cain?"

"No time."

Glitch sigh and stopped walking, "Oh come on, Tin Man! Have a heart," Cain turned to face the group. Why was DG not intervening yet? Cain was dangerously close to shooting him, "I'm a Thinker, not a Hiker."

Cain glanced at the kid and she looked straight at him for the first time in two and a half hours. She gave him a look that clearly said 'Give him five minutes and he'll shut up', "Yeah, we can all use a rest."

Cain looked to the sky. Maybe he was wrong. Maybe DG did know how to deal with him.

* * *

><p><strong>Yay! Lots of deviation. I find that it's making things much more interesting. What about you guys? Tell what you might like to see or what you think DG will do when she gets to various parts of the show!<strong>


	6. Chapter 5: Milltown

**UPDATE: Sorry! I uploaded the wrong (unedited) Draft! This should be good. **

**A/N: I am so sorry for the wait, guys. Explanation (not excuse ;D): I was completely finished with this chapter. It wasn't easy to write but I got it done. When I went to do a final edit and write the author's note before uploading… the file corrupted… Yes, I broke down and cried. But then I went to work rewriting the whole thing. And with school and work getting really intense it got really difficult to do. BUT! It's done now and I'm working on Chapter six as we speak. Well… While you're reading this anyway…**

**To clear some things up, I had a few people review and message me saying how they wouldn't think that DG would take the Papay bite for Cain, no matter what. And I didn't mean to make it seem like she did purposefully. She was just trying to get them to move so that no one would get bitten. But as it turned out her timing was off and the guys are stubborn. So she got caught in the crossfire. Oh well. Raw fixed it. All is good. **

**So… Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Nothing's really changed since the last disclaimer, except my stress level sooo… I don't own Tin Man. **

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><p>Chapter Five: Milltown<p>

"Yeah, we could all use a rest," DG looked at Cain and could tell he was convinced. He wanted Glitch to stop whining. He looked away and everyone took that as a silent conformation. Glitch moved off to the side of the road to massage his feet, Raw following to stand beside him. As DG watched them she noticed the post he was leaning against. It told them how many miles- _spans_ until they reached Central City. DG had always liked the design that was placed on them, the symbol of Central City. It looked cool, all swirly and…

Déjà vu fell on DG again, thick as ever. She knew the symbol, of course, but she realized it had been important during this timeline. She could remember drawing it probably hundreds of times before the storm picked her up. And Hank's stories….

"All of life's answers are found along the Old Road…" He certainly was right. Her whole life – the one that was important to her, anyway – had been found along the 'Old Road'. But DG now realized what was important about that marker. They were close to Milltown.

"Did you say 'Old Road'? That's what the locals call the Brick Route. I thought you said you've never been here before," Cain asked her, suspiciously.

DG hadn't even realized her spoke out loud. She looked off into the woods, "I haven't been here before," Well not this time at least. It was surprising how much she could bump up against the edge of truth. She had yet to tell them a lie. Sure some things were said to be misleading, but in certain contexts they were true… _Okay it's a stretch but it helps my conscience,_ "But I know this place."

She smiled briefly before running off down the path, towards the 'Jewel of the OZ'. When she arrived with her friends close behind, DG was shocked to see the disrepair. She had forgotten how bad Milltown had been before Reconstruction.

DG had loved Milltown. She was raised in the middle of nowhere Kanas on a farm. It was only natural that she preferred the small town setting. Not to say she wasn't fine with Central City, it just that living there… Well… It was too big, too loud, with too many people, and most of it was filthy. But that wasn't really the city's fault.

Father View hadn't been over exaggerating that Milltown had once been the Jewel of the OZ. And it had been well on its way to be so again before everything had fallen apart. With its simple, easy layout, good schooling and security, it was a wonderful place to raise a family, once humans were allowed back in. Milltown tools and product were of the highest quality and their orchards produced some of the best fruit in the realm, in DG's mind. At least the small amount they were able to harvest before the famine hit.

But looking at the decrepit sign and fallen down buildings, DG was lost in her thoughts of the past and what it would take to fix this again. It took a prompting from Glitch to pull her from it.

"They were from here – my parents. From the OZ…" DG explained to them before moving around the sign. The group trekked down the hill and made their way down to the Main Square. DG continued on while the others stopped, taking in the decrepit town.

"What happened here?" Glitch asked.

"Milltown's been erased," Cain explained, "Azkadillia's term for cleansing history." He had heard of it happening sparingly before he was… But he hadn't imagined the wreckage to be this bad. And by the looks of it, a good deal of time had passed since the Longcoats had passed through.

As he took in the sights and watched DG's back move further way from the group, he spotted the sign, "Oh no. We're not supposed to be here. No humans allowed," his pointed it out to the other men before calling to the kid.

"DG!"

She turned instinctually towards that tone and volume of his voice, "What?"

At the same time she did this, the denizens of Milltown came out of their hiding places and descended on the invaders. DG turned and immediately, almost by habit, put up her hands in surrender. She felt her companions come up from behind and join her.

"Hey guys, we were just passing through… we were just passing through… we were just passing through… we were just passing throu-" Glitch was cut off by a sharp whack from Cain.

She felt Cain tense behind her as he took in the various weapons. Hopefully this won't turn ugly before –

Then the old rotting doors burst open on the Town Hall and a floating old cyborg came flying out.

"Stoke the pyre!" He called out.

"Pyre? Could we talk about this?" Glitch asked worriedly.

The mayor surveyed the newcomers. His small eyes flicked over each face individually. When he rested on DG, she could have sworn there was a glimmer of recognition before he moved on.

"Azkadillia's invaders have to be made an example of!"

"What? This is ridiculous! I don't even know this Azkadillia!" Still completely truthful. She knew her loving and compassionate sister Az.

"You who spoke," Father View asked serenely, "What is your name?"

"DG."

"Your voice patterns… Are familiar."

Before DG could respond, Cain took a step forward, "How? She's never been here before."

DG looked at him, wide eyed. She was fairly certain that no one had spoken up during this whole ordeal. As inconsequence as it was, it appeared that things were beginning to spin out of her control.

She didn't get to reflect on that for long because the next thing she knew another set of doors were flying open.

"Hey, don't let him confuse you, baby girl, he's just a crazy old cyborg!"

"Dad!" DG rushed to embrace the people who raised her, hopefully not for the last time.

"I was so worried that I'd never get to see you again!" Momster nearly yelled in her ear.

"Are ya'll alright?" DG asked anxious. She was very aware that this may be the last time she sees them 'alive' and well. She would have loved to protect them, but some things were just more important than others.

"Everything is okay now that you're here," this time around DG didn't miss the underlying meaning and non-fatherly respect shining in his eyes.

But she knew it was time to get this show on the road and move the conversation forward. Several Longcoats were on their way, "I can't believe that this is you're guys' home."

"Not just ours," Popsicle's eyes started to twinkle, revving up to tell a great story, "You know how you never felt like you fit in on the Otherside?"

"What do you mean?"

Emily was more apprehensive though. She knew that this would be hard for DG to handle. Or would have been, "You know that voice Father View recalled… Um… Was your mother's."

Dg had to make sure that the point got across clean and clear to everyone involved, so she prompted for clarification, "Your voice."

"Uhh... Not mine… Your real mother's," Emily finished with a nervous smile.

Everyone was silent as the news settled in.

"I'm adopted," DG said plainly.

"Honey, why don't we go talk about this? Just us?" Momster motioned towards a small ring of trees just outside the town square, eyeing her companions slightly.

"Yeah, okay…" DG started to follow after them blindly, hoping she looked shell-shocked. Her acting skills were really getting tested.

Apparently she looked depressed enough because when she walked by him, Cain reached out and stopped her. She was surprised, to say the least, when he looked at her with sympathy and worry. Not unlike when Glitch had told her that Emily and Hank were not repairable. He had been the only one DG had let see her cry and allowed to comfort her.

It was nice to see now, until he seemed to realize what he was doing. Immediately, his expression closed off and he pulled his hand away like it burned. He nodded briskly before walking to stand with Raw and Glitch. _That was weird._

She joined the nurture units and turned her back to the town. She was tired of pretending, and they didn't need to scrutinize her facial expressions.

"We are series – "

"Yeah, I know. Series 18 yadda yadda Nurture Units. Ultimately, you are robots sent to raise me and tell me about the OZ to set me up for my 'return'. And while we are on the subject," DG was on a roll, "A few more etiquette and culture lessons would have been fantastic."

"DG what are you –" Popsicle began but DG cut him off.

"Yeah I know about the OZ, Az, Lavender, and everything," that felt good to finally say out loud, "So we don't need this heart to heart. But I need to rework your CPUs a bit to make you think we had this convo. Kay?"

Dg had a good deal of ethical issues with memory magic – obviously – but she had to keep things consistent. Plus with a light layer of magic she might be able to protect them. Silver linings. So, despite their halted protest, she 'let her light flow' to rewire their circuitry.

But nothing happened. DG's brow furrowed as the Tik Toks continued to try and figure out what was going on. She tried to push against her magic slightly but it wouldn't budge. And she was starting to panic.

She has never had her magic _not _respond to her before. Yes in the beginning it had been strange and a bit difficult, but she could still do it. After a few lessons and she got the hang of it, she was quickly moving forward in her skill. Now it was just flat out saying no.

In slight panic and extreme frustration, DG did something she hadn't had to do in a long while. She raised her left hand and attempted to channel the spell through the appendage. It was an old and simple technique, used to concentrate a mage's power and concentration for complex spells. That also why a training mark was placed on the left palm. When someone just discovers his or her powers, the magic is uncontrolled and generally runs rampant. The mark basically caps it off until the wielder can control it on their own. In DG's extremely odd case, it allowed her to rediscover he powers slowly rather than overwhelming her. Which could easily kill her.

Using her hand allowed her to get her magic to work, just barely. She was able to lay down a thin layer, enough to cover this memory and implement the one from last time. It wasn't nearly strong enough to stand up to any real scrutiny, but hopefully the witch wouldn't notice. Maybe the small amount of magic was a blessing. DG could barely register its presence and she knew it was there.

"Honey, would you like to talk to Father View?" Popsicle asked nervously. DG was confused for a second as she looked at their anxious faces. _Oh. Duh. I need to find out about Mom._

"Oh, yeah. Sure, whatever," together they began to head back to the town square. DG didn't have to act much anymore. She was shocked, scared and deep in thought.

That tiny bit of magic – compared to what she has done before – had taken a lot out of her. While she was only a bit tried, nothing much, it still was a problem. She had hoped to be able to fall back on her magic when things started going sour, but that doesn't seem to be an option. By the way she was feeling, anything substantial defensively – or offensively – would send her into total magical exhaustion.

DG had been at that point only once before and was _never _going to do that again. Tutor and her mother had convinced her that they needed to know how she would react in order to help her, should something happen. Apparently, she had the most violent reaction in the history of the House of Gale. Ever.

Not only is she at extreme physical exhaustion, her body begins to act like its trying to rid itself of a severe disease. She had violently – and repeatedly – dispelled the nonexistent contents of her stomach on to the lawn of Finaqua before they were able to get her inside. She didn't stop, but at least she was in the privacy of some random room.

Finally her stomach did calm, but by that point she barely had enough energy to breathe. Then she started to tremble. She was sweating like she had a fever, but she was so cold and pale. Her body temperature had dropped ten degrees, while she had been vomiting. Now her already low and limited energy levels were being used to try and instinctually warm up, but it wasn't working. This was about the time the Royal Family and friends were starting to freak out. They couldn't get DG to respond. It tool time but eventually Cain's suggestions went to work and DG was able to sleep off some of it.

Not enough though. She had woken up a few hours later, ravenously hungry. DG had always been able to eat, keeping pace with starved resistance fighters and Jeb, but she had never been this legitimately hungry. She was experiencing intense hunger pains but refused to eat anything – a frightening first for the princess. She didn't want to start projectile vomiting again. It had taken some serious talking down and a near force feeding from a certain Head of Security to get her to start out small, until she had her fill.

Once they had gotten the food in her, she was able to sleep for the next two days and was right as reign when she woke. That seemed to be the worst of it, until DG accidentally informed the still worried Tin Man that she had been convinced to do this on purpose and it was all Tutor's idea. Boy, he was _pissed_.

But no matter the case, DG could not be doing that now, in the middle of enemy territory. She also knew that she couldn't even strain her magic when it was this way. She would have to be painstakingly careful that she was on full all the time. She had learned while healing the Papay Fields that even if she wasn't fully exhausted, just close, that she would experience some of the symptoms. With the Farmers, she had fallen asleep while still standing up, and was dead to the world for 18 hours. When she woke up she had eaten through almost two whole barrel of Papay fruit before she was found. That was hard to explain.

She would have to figure this out. Hopefully her training mark would help.

DG hadn't noticed that they had arrived back in the town until Glitch caught her attention, "You okay Doll?"

DG stared at them wide eyed, "Hmmm… Oh," She shook her head slightly, coming back to reality, "Yeah. I'm… I'm fine. I've got to go talk to the Floating Father."

She hitched her thumb over her shoulder, nodded and went to follow Hank, Emily and the Mayor.

* * *

><p>"She was so weak, so frightened, I don't know how she found the strength to carry on. So afraid we'd be discovered. Discovered saving you."<p>

"By trusting you to us," Emily said softly.

DG slipped back into the present only to see the Father reaching for her. She had been so caught up in her worried, figuring and memories that she had zoned out for most of that speech.

"Upon your return, your mother instructed me to give you something," the magical mark of the Gale Light was pressed into her hand. As it connected to her light, she felt her magic freeing ever so slightly. It had helped but not as much as she had hoped. Still now she wouldn't have to worry constantly about her control.

"Let this connect you to the light. Connect you to her," he told her sagely.

The doors to the small shack of a town hall burst open, "The Longcoats are coming. We're running out of time." _Dammit. _DG had hoped they were further ahead of them than that. And she still needed to be pointed towards the Mystic Man.

"Where can I find my mother?"

"I know not. But there is a man in the Central City who has all the answers," _No kidding_, "He's smart, magical, powerful. Some even say he's a wizard."

Cain turned away from the window, "The Mystic Man?"

"Yes," Father View said like Cain was an idiot.

"You know him?"_ Can we go please?_

"I worked his protection detail for a time. He's a good man," Cain holstered his gun and pulled DG towards the door, "Come on."

"Okay," but as they walked past he people who raised her – robots or not – DG had to stop and hug them one more time, "Please be safe!"

"Oh course, honey," Popsicle told her.

"Hurry!" Emily gave her a slight shove and they were off.

* * *

><p>"How much does she know?" A girl sent over to the Otherside at five annuals couldn't possible know how to dabble in such ancient magic. But the aging Queen kept her silence.<p>

Ever since revealing her presence, the Witch had foregone playacting the little girl striving for her mother's love, but it couldn't hurt to pull at said mother's heart strings. Maybe she'll snap, "It doesn't have to be this way for either of you, you know? I mean, we could all be friends."

But Lavender wasn't buying it, "How?" came her scathing reply.

So the Witch was still out to play, "Big changes are planned. You can play an important part in the future of the OZ… Or you could be a verse in a song. It's your choice."

When she got no response, the Sorceress magiced out of the sphere, fuming at the silly woman's impertenance. She dismissed the attending Longcoats and went off to her chambers to rest.

As much as it irked her, what she had told the Queen was not true. Azkadillia still did remain, deep within the recessed of her own mind. While only together the two brats had enough magic to stop her, the young princess alone did have enough light to keep the Witch from completely irradiating her consciousness. In the beginning, Az had even been able to put up a enough of a fight to be a nuisance.

But as time went on, she grew weaker and she began to doubt. Doubt her abilities – her light and place in the prophecy – her parents and their love, her sister, everything. As the years went on, the Witch used this to her advantage, twisting the growing girl's insecurities. When the time had come, Az had even believed that it was right to over throw her mother. That it was time for someone younger and with fresh ideas to rule the country. As the Witch started to show her true colors and torture the people, Az saw the errors in her ways and confusion. But it was too late. Az was too weak and the Witch had too strong of a hold on her. She could do nothing but subtly influence the Witch to keep her mother alive and near.

In the last few months and years, Az had been nonexistent, the Witch only able to feel her in complete stillness. But after those visions Lilo had shown and the empty grvae, Az found new energy. She still had her doubts, but maybe there was hope now.

_DG is alive and will save me, once she figures out what's happened!_

_Oh! But what if she hates me for betraying her, killing her and hurting our people? _

_And Mother… She knew. She did something. The Witch knows, feels it, and doesn't like it. Why didn't she help me, after all these years?_

_What if she couldn't? What if I was a lost cause and Deeg was salvageable? Then there is nothing to stop this darkness but kill the Witch and me._

_That wouldn't be so bad. At least this would be over and I'd be free. And the people of the OZ would be too._

But the images Lilo showed came to mind. What did they mean? Well, at least it looked like it had been fun. Az would have like to have gotten to known the laughing, happy baby sister she had seen there. Plus the friends she seemed to have made. Even if Deeg had cooked up something unpleasant between her and that cute captain.

* * *

><p><strong>Ahh…. Magic has been unraveled a bit more. DG had to be careful… A note on Az's character. I have always figured that after her release she would be… not immature or innocent… but in a more childlike mindset. Like she hadn't matured much emotionally during her possession. Scarred, yes. Matured… Not so much. So she ends up being a little ignorant to her feelings towards Jeb, (yes, they will get together in this story at some point. My story, my pairings) and really scared when DG explains it to her. <strong>

**Anyway tell me what you think about the explanations, plotlines so far, what you think will happen, what you'd like to happen or even how your day is going. I'm not picky. **

**Review!**


	7. Chapter 6: Central City

**A/N: Ahh… Another chapter. A REALLY long chapter. And so soon after the last one. I spoil ya'll. Or I'm making up for the long wait. Maybe both. People seemed to be waiting for this one to see how DG would handle things… Well…. Go on… Go see… **

**Disclaimer: I don't have anything witty to say… I don't own Tin Man… **

* * *

><p>Chapter Six: Central City<p>

DG trailed behind her friends a bit, a small smile playing on her lips. She had really missed this.

"…Maybe he can do something about your lousy attitude!"

"Or maybe he could put a zipper where it would really do some good."

Yep, just like old times. And she wouldn't trade it for anything.

But all her nostalgia caused her to be unaware of Raw's appearance. He shuffled up beside her and spoke gruffly, "DG happy."

Of course now attention had turned around completely towards her and she figured she'd just roll with the punches.

"Hmmm…" DG hummed at him, starring off at the trees, "Amused is more like it. This is comical," she quipped, gesturing towards the two grown men bickering like five-year-olds.

"Glad you're entertained, kid," Cain said, rolling his eyes. Glitch just huffed and stormed away, like said five-year-old. Raw followed him, leaving DG and Cain to move at their own pace.

They were quiet for a moment, DG enjoying the peace and safety she always felt with him and Cain trying to figure out what to say.

Finally he settled for, "Are you doin' alright, kid?"

"Yep," she fired off almost immediately as she picked her way through the foliage. But she should have known better. As always, Cain could spot one of her lies a mile away. She didn't even have to see his quirked brow and disbelieving look to revise her statement.

She sighed, "Yeah, I'm fine…" and she was, in respect to what he was asking. She had dealt with the truth of her childhood with help from her friends and family and had moved on. There were other things though… "It's just... I'm starting to worry about my mom and stuff…"

"Like the Headcase said, she didn't abandon you. Things were bad back then. And only getting' worse. Somehow she had the means to send you to the Otherside in order to protect you. Any mother worth her salt would have done that."

"I know, I know. It's not that. I'm more worried about what has happened while I was gone. It's been a long time. I just really hope she's okay."

"If she's anything like you, she's just fine."

DG looked up at him. She had not expected him to say something like that. But it made her smile anyway. She continued to look at him, slyly now. She was not going to let this opportunity to tease him pass, whether he 'knew' her or not.

"What do you mean by that Mr. Cain?" She asked as innocently as she could, but Cain foiled her. He wasn't fazed at all.

"A normal person would be handling this new a lot harder than this."

"Yeah, well… I'm definitely not normal."

"Hmmm…"

DG noted the lack of denial and laughed, "Thanks, Cain."

He looked strangely over at her as they caught up to the other two and she continued, "This made me feel a lot better."

* * *

><p>"Come on! Come on!" Glitch was getting excited now that they were so close to the city. They had traveled a good deal of distance before nightfall the day before. They made camp in a clearing and everyone tried to get some sleep, taking guard in shifts. It was not restful for DG in the slightest. After experiencing for much emotional strain in such a short while, her nightmares were back in a vengeance. Good memories were mingled and distorted with the memory of releasing the Witch, all the fighting and blood, death of her family.<p>

She was asleep for less than an hour before she woke for the first time. After that she just laid there, pretending to sleep and trying to relax. She didn't need to wake the others up by screaming and crying. They'd just start questioning her sanity. And it was too early for that.

They rose early and spent the morning and some of the early afternoon making their way to the City. They broke through the tree line and everyone saw what the city had become.

"The shinin' city on the hill is starting to tarnish."

But DG had other worries. Like the numerous Longcoats and that wanted poster hanging on the bulletin. She walked over to it quickly, ripping it from its tacks. She barely glanced at it; it was an awful picture of her.

"What do you got there, kiddo?"

She flipped the flyer over, showing the group.

"Looking for resistors," Raw said, looking very frightened.

"This isn't good," Glitch said.

"We're going to need some help," Cain said taking the page from her, crumpling it up and taking a look around.

That's when DG heard some of her least favorite music. Demilo's gaudy wagon. And then her absolute least favorite sound started. His voice.

Cain was the only other one to recognize it, but that was because he spent most of his Central City stationing tossing Demilo out on his ass, "I don't believe it."

Cain stepped out into the middle of the road and the truck was forced to stop. DG prepared to be amused. She hadn't really been paying attention to Cain's 'interrogation', catching the tail end because she had been concerned with the Longcoats and the wanted poster. But now she was going to watch with rapt attention. As morbid as it probably was, DG liked watching Wyatt 'go Tin Man' on bad guys. And Demilo was just a creep, so it was extra enjoyable.

"Hey. You, with the stupid hat. Move it, will ya! I have commerce to commence here."

Cain looked up and Demilo went pale, looking like he saw a ghost, "Wyatt freakin' Cain."

He tried to laugh but his nervous heavy breathing was getting in the way, "I thought they were pissing on your grave."

"I see your moving up in the world. How's the sleaze business, Demilo?" Cain asked, surveying the horrid decorations.

"Well, since you've been gone, biz is boomin'. So, you know, if you don't mind, I'm workin' here, a'ight?"

Suddenly Demilo was caught by the collar of his shirt, hauled out of the truck, and slammed against the metal with a growl, "So am I."

"You ain't sportin' tin no more. So leave go, before I call over those nice Longcoats and request they bloody your persons!"

_Oh… Someone is getting ballzy_. Well, DG knew that Cain wouldn't be scared by the empty threat. He pushed Demilo back against the truck by the neck, "Who needs tin when you have a picture of a certain little man playing bed sheet bingo with Zero's first wife?"

_Ew… _How scaring that photo must be… And Zero was married? Multiple times? DG deeply pitied those women. Oh and look the creepy Siamese twins came out to play.

"Wh-hat? Come on Cain… That… Me and Mrs. Z… We, we were just joking around. That – " His head hit the gold and maroon paint again.

"Oh really? Let me just go ask Zero and see if he thinks it's funny."

Demilo's eye went wide as saucers, "WHOA!"

He grabbed Cain's hand and put it back around his throat. _Wow… He's really desperate,_ "Please, have a heart! The guy will flay me like a munchkin!"

"He won't have to if you get us inside… And tell me where I can find Zero."

That statement hit DG fairly hard. She had completely forgotten that Cain was on a revenge mission. She knew it was selfish of her but she had kind of just hoped he'd stick around. She knows it wasn't going to be easy to protect the Mystic Man or get him to listen to her and she had been counting on his help. _Arrogant, Deeg. You expect him to just drop avenging his family?_

But she did need to stop him. If he did this he'd be killing in cold blood. Yes, that was very hypocritical for her to say, since she killed him last time and wasn't all there when she did it, but Cain couldn't kill Zero while he was in this angry mind set. It would break the man.

"What are you gunning for Zero for? That's a short hop to a _deep _grave."

"You don't know the half of it. Are you going to help us?"

"No." _Dumb choice buddy._

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Okay," Cain was used to this though. He knew what would brake him. He simply tugged on Demilo's large gold earrings. The man howled in pain like a baby, but gave in. _Wuss. _

"Okay! Tonight's his weekly shack up!"

Cain released the greasy man's ears and actually smiled at him, "That was easy, wasn't it?"

"Gods… I hate Tin Men," Cain slapped the sides of his face before Demilo continued, "Especially, ex-Tin Men. Get your mutts in the wagon."

Cain shoved Demilo to the side as he leered at DG. As she climbed through the door Cain held open, DG couldn't help flashing the slim ball a devious smile.

* * *

><p>"So these are the precious parents… Where's your darling girl?"<p>

The Tik Toks were tight lipped. The Witch was not used to this level of resistance directly before her. Most people were trembling on their knees when they came before her. It was starting to be frustrating.

"You ran the coercion virus on their CPUs?" she snapped at her assistant.

"They told us everything. They don't even remember. Apparently the girl went to retrieve a message held by the Mystic Man."

Shock was the only emotion the Witch would admit to feeling in that moment, "My gods… the little bitch has gone to see the wizard." _This is a problem. Whatever they are playing in is powerful enough without his assistance. This cannot be allowed._

She sent the nurture units to be put in holding cell, they may be useful later on. As they were pulled away though, the Witch felt the slightest glimmer.

"Wait!" She called out, rising quickly from her chair. Her heels clipped against the black marble floor as she moved to stand in front of the prisoners. Had the Witch not been consciously monitoring for this signature of magic, she would have completely missed it. It was so faint, she had expected more from her…

As she moved closer, looked harder, she could see it. Yes, it was a very faint memory spell. Very poorly done… Perhaps the Witch had nothing to worry about. Power was nothing without skill and control.

With a wave of her hand, she lifted the magic and was hit with the hidden memory.

_The girl walked behind the two, a slight calculating look on her face. She carefully placed her back to the town, before the female Tik Tok started speaking. _

"_We are series – " _

"_Yeah, I know. Series 18 yadda yadda Nurture Units. Ultimately, you are robots sent to raise me and tell me about the OZ to set me up for my 'return'." She knew… The Witch understood from the fake memory, that DG was supposed to not remember much about the OZ and what happened all those years ago. The Witch had hoped to use that against DG, to confuse her, but now it seemed that there was more to this story. "And while we are on the subject," DG's bright blue eyes bore into her 'parents', a rebellious light shining through, "A few more etiquette and culture lessons would have been fantastic." _

"_DG what are you –" the male began but DG cut him off. _

"_Yeah I know about the OZ, Az, Lavender, and everything," Everything? What is everything? They have planned something… "So we don't need this heart to heart. But I need to rework your CPUs a bit to make you think we had this convo. Kay?" _

_The Tik Toks continued to protest, but the girl just stood there. She wasn't doing anything. When would she cast the spell? _

_Then her face contorted in confusion. The girl closed her eyes and raised her hand. Had she expected the magic to just happen on its own? _

_The Witch felt the pitiful magic fall on the robots and their memories reworked. As the group walked away, DG looked at her hand worriedly. _

The Witch snapped out of the memory. She gritted her teeth, "Leave!"

She watched as everyone present scrambled to get out of the room, with less sick pleasure than she normally would. As soon as she was alone, she turned inside herself.

She had felt Azkadillia come forward to see the memory, a chance to properly look at her sister. The Witch had been able to feel her astonishment at points and knew that there were things she did not understand.

"What is this trickery they are planning, my friend?" When she could the Witch still tried to convince Az that she was on her side and this was all for the better of the OZ – which the Witch legitimately believed. The poor twisted evil soul.

But Az has had enough of her tricks. _I don't know._

"Come now. You know something. You see something is special about your sister… Please tell me…" Silence.

"Fine. I'll just find it myself," after such a long possession the Witch had figured a way to tunnel into Azkadillia's memories and experiences to utilize her knowledge of the OZ and it's people when she stopped helping her. It caused a good deal of pain for both and usually the young girl would give the information up freely after a few seconds.

_STOP! I'll tell you what I do know. _

The Witch pulled back and waited as patiently as she could for the girl to rebound from the attack.

_I don't know what they have planned. BUT! _Az could feel the Witch angering as she went quickly to explain, _I have an idea at why DG was so confused. _

"And?"

_It appears that DG may have some experience with her magic. At least she has some understanding of magical techniques. But she was unable to use her magic without the help of a channel. As she should not even remember the OZ, I would guess Mother also suppressed her magic so that it would not cause problems on the Otherside. This would mean that, if she was able to break through the barrier, her magic would have grown, but she'd only process the control of a five-annual-old. The fact that she used her magic, at all, without losing control, without the aid of a training mark, was magnificent. _

"What are you talking about, silly girl? A channel? Training mark? She had done nothing to cast the spell, so how could it have worked?"

_What are _you _talking about? With control, practice and skill, Deeg wouldn't have to do anything to work her magic, besides will it. _

The Witch was stumped. In all her years, she had never heard of such a thing. When she was learning, magic was controlled through acts and procedures. It had always been that way. She would know if some things changed.

But then again she may not. Once she had left that cave, she had done everything to squelch any magic that was not her own in the OZ. The only remaining magical beings she knew of were the Queen, who depleted her magic long ago, and now this other Daughter of Light. She had not gone to Azkadillia's childhood lessons, because she didn't need them.

The Witch looked at her left palm. The mark was different than the one she carried when she had her own body, but she knew its purpose. Or she had thought she did.

"Is this a 'training mark'?"

_Yes. _Her tone was as if she was talking down to a child. The Witch did not appreciate it.

"What is it for, wretch?"

_It allows a training mage to use their magic while they learn to control it themselves. The mark fades once the mage reaches a point where they do not need it anymore. _

"And this was yours?"

_Yes._

"Why has it not faded?"

_Obviously, my magic cannot be controlled without it. There had always been a possibility that a mage may never be able to control his or her magic on their own. _

Had she chosen the weaker sister? She was starting to think so.

With a furious push, the Witch sent Azkadillia back into a corner of her mind and marched out of her study, out to the guards standing in the hall.

"Send a message to General Zero. Tell him the girl is going to find the Mystic Man. Kill her and bring the Mystic Man back here at once, but be wary..."

* * *

><p>"Okay, we're in."<p>

Everyone quickly escaped from their airless hiding places. As they caught their breath, DG realized they would still need Demilo's assistance in order to get in to see the Mystic Man.

"Okay where can we find the Mystic Man?"

Demilo just stared at her, "Excuse me? Do I have a sign of my back that says 'Central City Taxi and Tourist Information'?"

He suddenly found himself being forced into the air, eye level with Cain. Demilo groaned slightly, "Alright… Fine… So the Mystic Man… That's who you come here for?"

"Is he still in Central City?"

"Oh, he's here alright… He's just not holding court where he used to," Demilo told them with a slight laugh. His head collided with the roof of the van and collapsed to the floor. He hurried to pull out the show tickets DG had been looking for, "These will get you front row seats, alright?"

DG went to take them, but of course Demilo had to take the opportunity to make a perverse comment, "You can't go dressed like that, Cupcake. Maybe my girls can… find you something."

This time Cain seemed to be more riled by the comment and kick Demilo before pulling him back.

"Then find her something," he growled before discarding the trash. He looked at her for a second, with warring emotions evident in his eyes. That confused her. What was he thinking about? But he seemed to come to a conclusion because his ice blue eyes closed off and he checked his gun, "Look, the Mystic Man will have all your answers. You don't need me anymore."

_So that's what it was. He's made a decision. _DG knew that her Tin Man was a stubborn as she was and that changing his mind was harder than stopping the moons (no pun intended), but she had to try.

"Please don't go after Zero…" She sounded desperate and pathetic, but… Well, she was, "You're not a killer, you're a Tin Man." DG knew that that didn't mean a whole lot to him right now, but to her it meant the world. It was amazing how much she had grown to respect law enforcement because of him.

But he still snapped at her, "I said I'd get you here and I did."

DG saw the momentary look of shame cross his face and his features softened and he couldn't look her in the eye, "You take care of yourself, kid."

He turned to open the door and before she could stop herself, she blurted out, "He won't even be there!" It took all her restraint to not throw her hand over her mouth and look exceedingly guilty.

"Um… yeah, he will," Demilo said from his corner, "You don't know this guy. He doesn't miss his whores for nothin'."

"The Longcoats have been one step behind us all the way," DG took the mistake and used it as a final ditch attempt to sway Cain. But it didn't help that she was talking to his back, "There's a big chance that they already know we are here and are looking for us. Please don't go."

For a moment, it looked like he was actually going to reconsider. But when it came down to it, he opened the door and walked away.

DG hung her head. She saw out of the corner of her eye that Raw was reaching out to comfort her, but she didn't want him reading her thoughts and emotions right now. So she sat up straighter, took a deep breath and said, "Alright, let's do this."

DG did use one of Demilo's show girl's dresses again. The same one actually because, even with her 'usual fashion sense' (by Ozian standards), the rest of her options were too much. Or, she supposed, not enough. She did, though, use much heavier make-up this time around. It probably wouldn't really do anything in the way of a disguise, but if it bought them a few extra minutes, fantastic.

She decided that it would be best to leave her bag, clothes and coat hidden in the back of Demilo's van. She figured it would be the safest place, rather than leaving it hidden out on the street somewhere. She'd just have to count of Cain suggesting that they used the wagon again. If he didn't she'd be stuck in this dress, traipsing through the wood of Finaqua…. _Okay, if Cain doesn't suggest it, I sure will._

By the time they left Demilo's wagon and made it to the Mystic Man's show house, it was early evening, the first sun fallen below the horizon and the second soon to follow. Glitch and Raw had both tried to talk to her about Cain and what she said about Zero but they dropped the subject after her only comment.

"Cain has to make his own decisions regarding his past. We had our say, even though it was none of our business, and he took it into consideration. Now let's go."

Demilo's tickets got them in with no issue. They were pointed in the direction of their table, but DG steered them towards the bar. Only benefit in Cain's departure was that it was easier to get these two to just follow along.

DG plopped down on one of the bar stools and surveyed the scene, "Do either of you happen to have any money on you?" That was the only thing she had had trouble with in her pre-storm planning. No way to get ahold of some platinums.

"No, why?" Glitch asked.

"I could really use a stiff drink right about now," She ignored the advisor's shocked face as the dancers started their routine. The show was the same and DG barely pain attention. She had nothing to glean from the Mystic Man's drunken answers. She was waiting for the after party.

As DG's thought wandered, she had to be relatively impressed with the Witch. Though she was completely evil, she was also pretty genius. She had the Mystic Man, a symbol of power and wisdom, out in the public and wrapped around her little finger. _But not for much longer._

DG listened to Glitch's explanation of the vapors and added something else to her list to have outlawed. _I don't know how I forgot about that stuff…_

As Raw tried to comfort her, DG got a faint sense of the negative energy the Longcoats carried around.

_Good… My magic is starting to rebound. _

* * *

><p>"You just missed him. He busted out of her pronto. Something about some girl being smuggled into the city."<p>

_Damn it! … How did the girl know? … _

* * *

><p>DG had been able to get Glitch and Raw to follow her to the back before they were seen with relative ease. Her only worry was that she hoped Cain had found out about the Longcoats and was heading back this way. They may be ahead of Zero, but it was only by a few minutes and she needed more than that.<p>

This was proven true just by looking at the man in front of her. He was nowhere near sane. Most of her questions and explanations she needed him to give would have to wait until they got him out of here and off the vapors. Even then there were things that she needed to establish so that the Mystic Man would listen to her.

But of course, DG's sense of time is completely off. The second she started to try to get him to remember who she was, the dressing room door was kicked open.

"Find Zero!" _Shit… Come on Cain… Hurry up now… Please… _

It would seem that the gods – or the OZ, who really knew at this point – was listening because suddenly the other Longcoat was flying backwards and an all too familiar gun was pointed at the other's head, "Drop it or I'll blow you into next week!"

Glitch came up behind him and knocked the Longcoat out with a glass vase. He and Raw took care of the bodies and Cain quickly came in.

"Welcome back, Tin Man," DG said with a bright smile.

She saw the slight guilt and confusion behind his eyes, "We have to go."

"Well, then you have to help me with him."

"What?"

DG stepped aside and let him see the sad sight his friend and mentor had become, "Oh my… that's not the Mystic Man I remember… Azkadillia's really messed him up. She's got him on the vapors."

He knelt down in front of the trembling man and spoke in a soft voice, "Hey… Look, until this wears off, you're going to have to hurt for a while."

DG put a hand on the Tin Man's shoulder, "Do we have time for that?"

"I know you want answers, but it'll be the vapors talking, not him."

"I have to try," _then we can get out of here._

Cain shook his head, but still stood up. DG took his place and tried to get the elder man's attention, "Sir, sir. You have some answers."

"Answers?"

"Yes."

"Sure."

"Many years ago, you helped a woman smuggle a child out of the OZ."

"Out of the OZ?"

"Yes."

"Yes, yes. Out of the OZ. Yes."

"Yes, I was that child."

"Right." DG could so tell that this was all going right over his head. But she needed to get him to say something about her mother. Or at least know that she was the missing princess.

"So you have to help me find out where my mother is, who my mother is."

"Umm… Woman… um… Women… Women are great! Hehehehee…" Once this was all over, and DG got this man back into the Royal Court, she was _so _holding this over his head, "Ah! I remember... Umm… I remember ughh… Whoo.. Who?"

"My mother."

"Who?"

"My mother."

"Who's mother?"

DG gave a frustrated sigh. She wasn't going to hit him this time. That had been a lapse of judgment. Plus she was going to need a lot of his help. Violence was not the answer. But she hoped maybe the Mark of Gale would jog his memory. She quickly looked over her shoulder and saw that Glitch and Cain were watching the hall for Longcoats and Raw was across the room, trying to hide from the weirdness coming off of the Mystic Man. No one was paying much attention.

She looked the Mystic Man straight in the eye and turned her palm over to where he could see it. It was glowing slightly, her magic bubbling just under her skin with her frustration, "Sir, you have to remember. Please."

His eyes zeroed in on it and he launched forward, grabbing her hand. He looked up at her after a moment, with new clarity and hope. His voice was slight choked up when he finally spoke, "You have the most brilliant, beautiful blue eyes," _Aww… What a charmer… _"But your mother… Your mother had lavender," _there it is. _

DG could hear the bones popping in the men's necks. She smiled widely. They were moving along, "You do remember!"

Cain came up behind her quickly, "Okay, kiddo, we got to get out of here. Right now."

"Okay, Cain, help me get –"

The Mystic Man surged forward, shakingly getting to his feet. He took ahold of Cain's lapels, half holding himself up, half keeping Cain there, "Cain? Cain, you were one of mine… Weren't you? A Tin Man?"

Cain was quiet for a beat, "A long time ago."

"Pisst! _Pisst!_" Glitch called, warning them about the incoming Longcoats.

Cain tugged on DG's arm trying to pull her away, "No, wait!"

She turned towards the Mystic Man, but he was already there, "The Northern Island."

"Hang on –"

"Your journey for her, to find who you are, starts there. Let this guide you," he said, indication her mark.

Cain forced the window open and started spouting commands, "Okay, you two, get them out of here. Let's go! Come on, through the window."

But he started walking towards the door, catching the Mystic Man's attention. DG struggled against Raw and Glitch. She knew that they were too close to the Mystic Man sacrificing himself.

He stepped in front of Cain, placing a still shaking hand on his chest, "No, you stay with her at all costs."

"I have to take care of Zero."

"You know who she is now," the Mystic Man's voice was grave, even for being drugged, "She's the key. Promise me. I want your word as a Tin Man. You will not leave her side at any cost."

"You have my word."

The Mystic Man smiled, slapping Cain shoulder and bending down to pick up a walking cane. DG started to panic.

"No! Don't!" She nearly yelled.

"Doll, hush. Do you want them to hear us?" Glitch said looking down at her like she was the one who lost her marbles.

The Mystic Man was halfway across the room, "STOP!"

The command wasn't loud, a normal volume, but it stopped the Mystic Man in his tracks and caused everyone to look at her. It had become apparent pretty early on after the Eclipse that DG had inherited more than just her fire and grit from the Queen. DG was kind and compassionate, hating to force people to do things, but when you crossed her or jeopardized something she felt was important, it was certain she was a Royal. She had strength and will to be reckoned with and could get rowdy army men to stand down. It baffled everyone who had seen the incident.

It was the same way now. All four men were compelled to at least listen to what she had to say.

"Kiddo, what – "

"You are coming with us," DG stared down the old wizard.

"You have to –"

"Now."

The Mystic Man saw the intense light flash in the young woman's eyes and felt the slight magical pulse. She remembered when Queen – then Heir Apparent – Lavender had reacted in such a similar way – not as powerful or controlled – when they were trying to send away a certain young male Slipper. And he knew, not only that he could not disobey his Royal, but also there was more to this missing princess than they had planned.

"Very well…"

He felt Cain's eyes staring intently at him, but he watched as DG nodded at him and waited for him to go to the window first. He stumbled slightly, but with some help they all disappeared into the night.

* * *

><p><strong>Geepers Creepers… Loooong chapter. I'm sorry. I hadn't meant for it to get this long. I had thought about just jump cutting the scene with Demilo, but… it like my favorite scene. It's hilarious. So I just had to keep it, and it ended up becoming a small DGxCain moment of DG's side. Sorta. <strong>

**Anyway, People seemed to really want to see how DG handled Cain leaving and how she save the Mystic Man. I hope you liked how it came out. **

**Also , if you go back and watch the show in comparison to this, yes, I changed the order of some of the scenes. But the flow for what was going on made more sense this way. **

**I'm also going to go ahead and call it. This chapter will officially mark the end of part one, even though there is going to be a bit in the next chapter, but most of the next chapter will be divergent from the mini-series. **

**So, again, please review! It really helps when I get them. I had gotten an amazing review from DrawntoDarkness when I was writing the scene with the Witch and Az. It helped so much, because I got to say the Witch is mean and doesn't like being made to look like she's ignorant. She threatened to hurt Cain's hat if I didn't stop.**

**Lol. But yes, let me know how you think that the Mystic Man being there will change things. Also if you want an update on how the next chapter for this story or any story I'm writing is coming along, I'm trying to keep my profile updated with 'progress bars'. **

**Next Chapter: Chapter Seven: the Mystic Man.**


	8. Chapter 7: The Mystic Man and Answers

**Yikes. Long time to update, but long chapter. I have more to say at bottom so see you then.**

**Disclaimer: I'm too tired to try and pretend that I own Tin Man. Plus I don't have the money to deal with the law suit I'll have if I do. I work in retail, people! I'm not made of money!**

* * *

><p>Chapter 7: the Mystic Man and Answers<p>

They huddled in a dark alleyway. DG figured that the city was going to be put on lockdown or something pretty soon. And they needed to be on the opposite side of those walls when that happens.

"We need to get out of here guys," DG said, unhelpfully. She was supporting most of the Mystic Man's weight. After his ten minutes of clarity, the vapors came back and came back hard.

"Yeah, but how are we going to do that?" Glitch asked.

"Why don't we see how helpful Demilo's willin' to be?" Cain said, pointing towards the yellow truck. He turned and helped DG move the Mystic Man and together they all made it down the street. How they didn't get notice, DG would never know.

Cain motioned Glitch over and put the Mystic Man's arm around his shoulders, "Wait here. I'll go have a chat with Demilo."

While they stayed tucked behind the wagon in a blind spot, DG thought about how she was going to get the Mystic Man off the vapors. They could always just wait it out, like Cain said, but Cain didn't know how long the Mystic Man was on the vapors and how much he's had. It any indication to what happened after the Eclipse when the mist was no longer produced, there was a good chance that he could die, his system not able to take the cold turkey approach. Not to mention it could take days for him to get over the withdraws. And the pain only gets worse the longer he goes without it. They'd have to wait out the whole thing.

She could always use her magic to rid his system of it. It would be quick, easy and pretty painless. For the Mystic Man that is. For DG… She wasn't so sure. She didn't know if she was able to use her magic enough for it.

She didn't come to a decision before a half dressed Demilo was thrown from the wagon. The rest of the 'takeover' was a blur for DG between trying to get the Mystic Man settled, the half-naked twins and Demilo's yelling. Everything worked out though, and she climbed into the front passenger seat.

"Thanks for the ride!" Cain called as he climbed in beside her.

"Wahh! How could you do this to me! I have a wife and children!" _Did he think that would get him some leverage? Really? _"This is my wagon!"

Cain looked at the strange mechanisms, "How to you start this thing?"

"Oh, you have to pull the knob out and then twist red thing," he said, voice void of any previous desperation. DG had to stop herself from laughing. _Why would he tell us that? We're stealing his ride! _The fact that he told them says something either about his intelligence level or something about his relationship with Cain. Actually now that she thought about it... Cain and Demilo had a really weird relationship.

DG knew from Cain's stories and the time she raid the Tin Men Barracks for their criminal records, there was plenty on Demilo's record to get him locked away for a while, but Cain never did it. Demilo basically handed them his truck and, before, Cain actually smiled at him. This was something DG would have to discuss with the Tin Man at a later date.

"Thank you," Cain said before pulling the automobile into drive.

"This is my wagon! Cain, I'm talking to you! THAT'S MY WAGON!"

* * *

><p>"How is it that a young, unarmed girl – in a party dress – eludes the toughest division in my army?"<p>

Zero looked like a sullen teenager on the verge of rebellion, but too scared to actually act out, "She wasn't alone. She was helped by… Wyatt Cain... One of the Mystic Man's Tin Men."

"Bring him in," the Sorceress said simply.

Zero cleared his throat. He was not looking forward to this, "We believe that the girl went to the Mystic Man for more than just a message because… they took him with them."

The Witch stared Zero directly in the eye without seeing him. She could only see red. Anger bubbled just under her skin. _Incompetent, stupid HUMANS! _ She could barely keep her fingers from twitching on her stone arm rests, as she ground her teeth.

"I told you… To capture him and bring him to me," she said through clenched teeth.

Zero had the good sense to immediately bow, "I know Sorceress. I have failed and plead forgiveness," It was sour in his mouth but he valued his life.

The Sorceress stood slowly. She took a few steps around her desk, Zero nervously shifted his weight, and she snapped. With a simple flick of her wrist, her head general was turned into a small old, disgusting, malnourished ally cat.

Ignoring the frightened mewing below her, the Witch began to pace.

Now fuel was added to the fire. The Mystic Man was a wealth of knowledge and, though he did not have as much magic as most of the Gale line, the witch had to – grudgingly – admit he definitely had his own power. This other Daughter of Light was a wild card, her power and know-how unknown, so the witch had to err on the side of caution. As much as it didn't make any sense, she had to think that the pairing of Dorothigale and Mystic Man would be a dangerous force. So not only did she had to worry about not being able to solidify her power with the Emerald, but she had to deal with this!

Well… Maybe now she had a way to track them…

She turned on her heel quickly, barely paying any mind as she waved her hand and leaving behind a disgruntled Zero.

* * *

><p>It didn't take them to long to get out of the City. They made it out to the Brick Route and Cain headed north, as they were <em>supposed <em>to but DG had to stop him before they got too far. No need to back track more than necessary. Plus the Mystic Man wasn't taking the motion all that well.

"Cain, we need to stop."

He looked at her for a second before going back to watching the road, "Why?"

"Because the Mystic Man looks like he's going to lose his lunch, and I'm not cleaning it up. Because I need to change. Because we are going the wrong way. Pick one."

"The Mystic Man said the Northern Isle. Trust me, we're going the right way," He could see the mountains in the distance.

"The Mystic Man was cryptic and hurried. He knows more than he said and if we can get it out of him, maybe we can get a head start on this."

"Well, we can't just stop. Longcoats are going to be sent out in droves looking for you. We need to keep moving.

"The Mystic Man can't take driving all night. And, I reiterate, we will be going the wrong way. We are fairly far from the city. It'll be fine."

"But – "

"Please. Keep driving until you find somewhere you'd think will be safe and we'll make camp. We'll be fine. Trust me," clear cornflower blue eyes pleaded with him and he found himself groaning, but giving in. He had no idea why he was giving in. Every logical part of his brain was saying this was a bad idea, but another part of him – he was starting to think of it as 'that' part of him, one that he hadn't even been aware of until recently – was telling him just to go with it. _You can't stop her, might as well protect her. _

…_Where did that come from?_

He caught some motion out of the corner of his eye, and turned to see DG start to climb out of her seat and go backwards through the pass through to the converted truck bed, "What are you doing?"

"I'm going to see if I can settle the Mystic Man, because Glitch is doing a crappy job. I was serious about the throwing up. And if he loses it, I will. Plus I can look for my clothes," She explained as she disappeared.

They stopped in a tight tree grove a bit of the ways off the Brick Route. Glitch and Raw started a fire, Cain was out checking the area and DG helped a new shaking Mystic Man sit on an overturned log. He was getting worse and DG was starting to fear for his health.

Glitch said something about getting water and Raw was searching the truck for anything useful. Now was her chance. She just hoped she could do it.

She moved in front of the man, and crouched down, "Hey, I'm going to see if I can make you feel better, okay?" His eyes were glossy and she wasn't sure she heard her, but went ahead with it anyway.

She placed her hands on the sides of his face and closed her eyes. She could feel the magic infused with the liquid. It was corrupted and unhappy. It did not like being used this way, to hurt people. It was Az's magic, DG could tell, but it was mixed with the Witch's. It seemed to recognize her as well – or maybe it saw her intentions. Either way, it jumped at the chance to be removed and cleansed by a Daughter of Light.

She tried to just coax it out, a little bit at a time, so that she wouldn't get overwhelmed, but it was no use. She could feel her magic draining and exhaustion creeping up on her. She wasn't going to be able to keep this up for much longer.

Relief came in the form of another different magic, taking over were her magic was failing. She retracted and opened her eyes to see the clear, wisdom filled green eyes of the Mystic Man. He took in her tired looking face, "We have something we need to discuss, I think, my dear."

He spoke calmly and she smiled wanly at him before dropping back and twisting to sit against the log. Controlling other foreign magic versus controlling her own was a whole different ball game and she was wiped.

She was working on evening out her breathing and not letting her head lull when all three of the guys decided to come back. At the same time. Perfect.

She was able to breath normally before any of them got to close, but she was still quite haggard looking.

"Hey, Doll… Are you alright?" Glitch asked as he set down the canteens they found and a few of DG's water bottles.

"Yeah, just you know the stress and stuff. Not really used to all this," DG tried to brush it off.

"You sure, Kid? 'Cause you really don't look so good," Cain said kneeling beside her.

She smiled at him, "Yeah, I'm good. But I am hungry. I don't suppose you found anything in the wagon, Raw?"

"Some. Not much," he showed them the strange cuisine. _Well, at least it's something._

"Ahhh… Sin District's finest," The Mystic Man said, voice dripping with sarcasm.

The Tim Man's head snapped to his old mentor, "Have the vapors worn off already? I figured you'd be crashin' the whole night and most of tomorrow."

"Wyatt, you'd be surprised how magic works and affects the world around us," his eyes met DG's as he continued, "I have studied it's wonders nearly my whole life and it still surprises me with its unexpected abilities."

DG cleared her throat softly and looked away. Cain surveyed the man, before speaking, "Well, then in that case, we can get a move on. Kid, you had some questions for him?"

DG looked up at him. He was really keen on not sitting in one place for long. She understood it, but rushing now would only harm them. She could feel it. Everything was hanging on a thread. But she might as well get the headed on the _right _track.

"Yeah… Mystic Man, I was wondering… Do you have a real name? I mean other than 'Mystic Man', because if that's your real name, like birth name, I have to ask what kind of hippy parents did you have," DG sidetracked. She heard Cain groan but ignored it.

The Mystic Man chuckled. He remembered the curious, quirky little princess and it appeared that that particular trait never died, "No, Mystic Man was just a title I took up a good long while ago. Few have asked for my name since I made a name for myself in the – rightful – Royal Court."

"Well, that's dumb. What it is? That is if you remember it," DG said with a cocky smile. The Mystic Man gave her a withering look.

"My name is Evan."

"No last name?"

"I have seven more names following my first. In an effort to not sound pompous, I shall spare you that lengthy list."

DG laughed and decided that she like him. She definitely wanted him to get back to the Royal Court. There were too many stiff pressed shirts there, and the Mystic Man – or Evan would give it a breath of fresh air.

"May I use it? Because Mystic Man is kind of long and quite pompous, if I do say so myself."

"Of course, my dear, I would be delighted," Evan eyed her, "But I do not believe that is what Wyatt meant."

"Oh, no, it wasn't. I was kind of hoping you'd be less vague. You said the Northern Island, but that my journey would _start _there. Maybe you could give us a hint and jump to step three or four."

Evan took up a calculating look that was barely noticeable in the firelight. When he finally spoke, it was guarded, "I do not know. You have much to learn. Skipping steps could lend to harming your chances of success."

DG bit back a growl. Maybe she didn't like him so much. He wasn't helping her out. At all, "We have been running into a lot of trouble. My chances of my 'success' is already pretty low. So if you just told me what I needed to know, we'd be fine. I'm pretty smart. I think I'd get it."

They fell silent as they just stared at each other. DG could feel the other three getting antsy, unsure about this odd battle of wills. But DG didn't back down. She couldn't.

"Perhaps… But for now, I need to rest. The vapors are out of my system, but I am still elderly and need a few hours to recuperate. In the morning, we can revisit this."

"Longcoats are not going to be far behind us. We need to make a decision on where to go from here, North or otherwise," Cain pressed.

"If he needs to rest Cain, he needs to rest," DG told him shortly.

"Once we're on the road, he can rest in the truck."

"Yeah, I've been meaning to talk to about that," DG said standing, ignoring the slight vertigo, "I don't think that the wagon is a good mode of transportation. It was great for getting out, but from here I think we should part with it."

Cain just stared at her, "Why are you trying to make everything more difficult than it has to be? We can get anywhere we need to go much faster with this than on foot. You were the one earlier who was worried about being ahead of the Longcoats."

"I'm not being difficult!" DG came to stand directly in front of the infuriating man, "Demilo's van – if you haven't noticed! – is fairly recognizable! If they don't already know that we took it, they sure as hell will soon! Not to mention, that thing looks like it will fall apart."

"It's fine!"

"Yeah, sure. Okay. You can be that way, but I'm not all too keen on putting my traveling safety in the hands of Demilo's mechanical prowess!"

That stopped Cain. He growled a bit, he didn't particularly trust Demilo either, he just hadn't thought about it. He looked at the Kid and he could tell that she knew that she had won. So he turned on his heel, deciding that he'd go and check out the wagon – less trying to see if it was actually of any use to them, more hoping to prove her wrong.

As he stalked away, DG threw her hands in the air, letting out frustrated shout.

* * *

><p>The Mystic Man watched the youngest princess and his old friend and Tin Man bicker like an old married couple. He thought it was quite comical, but it added to the oddities that Princess Dorothigale brought with her.<p>

As Cain walked away and DG began to pace, Evan saw this as his opportunity to get his own answers. Groaning he stood from the log he had been deposited on, "It would appear that come small traces of the vapors have settled in my joints. Before I retire for the night I think I may take a short stroll. My dear, would you do me the honor of accompanying me?"

DG stopped her pace and looked at him, eyebrow raised and arms crossed. They had a moment of silent communication and Evan knew he was going to get the answers he needed.

* * *

><p>DG knew what the Mystic Man was doing. They need to get alone to have this discussion and she had to admit that sooner would be better, "Sure, I'll go with you."<p>

As Evan took her hand, wrapped it around his arm and they began to move away from the fire, Cain came back over – grumpy as ever, "The axel is shot. It would have gotten us a ways, but after probably three hours it would give out."

He looked up to see his old friend and the Kid, standing about two feet from the fire and seem to have been in the process of moving farther away, "What are you two doing?"

"We are going for a _stroll_, as Evan put it," DG said very frankly, "And he said he wasn't pompous."

Evan just looked at the young woman. Yes, he was going to like the Royal this princess had grown into.

"That's not – "

"Do not worry, Wyatt," Evan said with a wave of his hand, turning and taking DG with him. She had to hold back a few giggles at Cain's face. _That man is going to have an aneurism before the Eclipse. _

But the pair had business to attend to. They walked in silence for short distance, DG content to take in the night until the Mystic Man spoke.

Finally he did, patting the hand tuck under his arm, "We need to have a very frank discussion." DG just hummed as she continued to watch the night around her, her coat flapping and tugging around her legs. It reminder her of the dresses she had to wear and the nights she'd sneak out to the Gardens in Finaqua.

Evan looked at the girl. She was paying him limited attention. So, he was going to just have to tell how this had to work, "Now, this 'skipping a few steps' as you so eloquently put it. We can't just do theses things out of order. You need to – "

DG then, not looking away from the numerous stars and moons, cut him off, "_Daughter of Light came upon a glistening white mountain, frozen in Time in a sea of ice. Above all else, she knew that this mountain was more than it appeared. It was home." _Evan recognized the limerick. The Consort had created many for the male Nurture Unit to tell to DG as stories to help her in her return. The Consort had reasoned that his Spitfire would remember them that way. She was definitely her father's daughter.

"Yes, that is a story given to you to help you find the Northern Island and have an idea of what you need to find, and learn there. That's why – "

Again DG cut him off, but with a sly smile this time, "_The Majestic Queen of the OZ has two lovely Daughters she. One to darkness she be drawn, and one to light she be shown. Double Eclipse, it is foreseen, light meets dark and the stillness between. But one, and one alone… _

"_Will hold the Emerald and take the thrown."_

The Mystic Man stopped dead in his track. She wasn't supposed to know that. _How does she know the Prophecy? _

"I – I suppose things did not work how we planned…" Evan left the statement open, hoping the Princess would fill him in on how much she knew.

"Oh don't worry, it did. The first time anyway," DG told him, flippantly, stepping away from the frozen old man and bending to pick up a rock.

"You mean… I don't… _First time?"_

"Yes."

"My girl… What did you do?"

She sighed, and threw the rock out into the trees, "I don't know. I just woke up back here after… some things happened. I don't know how, or what exactly happened, but I know I have been given a gift from the OZ and I intend to milk it for everything it's worth."

Evan stepped up beside her and dropped his voice, "Were you not able to stop the Witch's plans?"

"No, no. My parents and your plan worked beautifully. I was able to save Az and the OZ. My mother was reinstated to the throne and we were well on our way to healing. It was after that that things fell apart."

He was quiet for a moment, "Your control on your magic… The way… That's why you were acting the way you were around total strangers… Your fighting with Cain…"

DG chuckled humorlessly as she took another stone and turned it over in her hands, "Yes. I suppose my acting isn't as good as I had thought it was. I know all of you from before. And, trust me, it is so hard not to run and hug everyone and never let go. But that would probably freak everyone out."

"Yes, I dare say, it would."

The two fell into silence. Evan was astonished. He knew time travel was possible – well, not physical time travel like Ambrose once tried to prove, but sending one's consciousness back – but the power and skill requirements need made it so improbably that it bordered on the impossible. Now here he stood in front of the resurrected youngest Princess of the Great House of Gale and the OZ's only hope in defeating the Ancient Witch that was plaguing their kingdom, who was telling her that she had – somehow, apparently unintentionally – sent her consciousness back in time. _Well, she was quite the magical feat, isn't she?_

But something else was bothering him, "My dear girl, what happened?" He didn't miss the fact that her muscles tensed and her eyes took on a glassy appearance at the question. But she did answer the question. Mostly.

"I don't think that I should tell you. Just you knowing the fact that I _am _from the future will throw off what I know about said future. Besides, it's not going to ever happen again, so it really makes no difference," her voice took on a steely quality towards the end of her statement.

"Then… You would have a reason for me to know…"

"I do. I need your help. We have bigger fish to fry than this Double Eclipse, but like hell I'm leaving Az out to dry. So, obviously I don't need to go to the Northern Palace. I know that my mom is the Queen, I'm a princess, I died and so on and so forth. But I can't really explain this to the others," DG motioned back over to the fire, with almost a painful expression.

"Why not them as well?"

"Because they wouldn't understand it. They don't get magic and they have fifteen years worth of reasons to not trust it. Plus, while I may know them, they don't know me. And since I know them, I know that if I just came barreling with the full truth, I would loose them all. I can't do that…" Her voice faded off into nothing.

"Some of them died, didn't they…" Evan asked softly.

"A lot of them died," DG's voice was barely a whisper.

But soon she collected herself and was ready to move on to the next piece of business, "But so, I need you to either explain what went on in the Palace, or something else."

"You could form your memories together as you wish for them to be seen and then I could project them."

"Like a viewer?"

"It is a similar, if synthetic, magic to what they use, yes."

"That is so cool! Can you show me how to do that?"

The Mystic Man laughed at the young woman's childlike enthusiasm and easy distraction, "Of course, perhaps after things settle down?"

"Well, yeah, of course. That is so cool. Raw will be blown away."

The Mystic Man tried to bring the conversation back around, "So will we be going to Finaqua? Or do you know what your mother's message is?"

DG quirked her head, "You don't know the message?"

"I believe there is an Otherside saying that 'you shouldn't put all your egg into one basket.' No, I was only to lead you to the message. Someone else would guide you from there."

"Hmm…" DG blinked at him, "That's a really good plan. But yes, we are going to Finaqua." She then turned and began to stomp through the brush back towards the camp.

Evan followed after, another question already leaving his lips. He knew he was pushing against the point she had made about her future knowledge, but he had not become the scholar that he was by just taking the answers that were given to him, "Why?"

"Well, that wouldn't be easy to explain through a memory, because… Well, it's not a memory I'm supposed to have yet. Besides I need to restore Finaqua."

"Re-Restore Finaqua! You know how to do that? Azkadillia destroyed it."

"The Witch, not Az and you know it," That felt good to finally say out loud. But DG could understand his astonishment. Well, not really but she had figured it would happen. Her mother had been just as shocked if not more. She had actually fainted (but that may have also been because she was still really weak from being let out of that prison). DG didn't get what it was about until Az explained it to her on the rare day that she actually spoke – she had taken on a self-chosen recluse lifestyle in that first month and a half. The Witch, when she had burned Finaqua, had also drained the area of it magic in order to make the magical prison she kept their mother in. The whole place had been left desolate and absolutely nothing short of a hundred years' worth of magical restoration should have brought it back. DG had always thought it had been part of her mother's message. She didn't really know what everyone was freaking about when they found out. At the time she had been desperate just to have something she knew and remembered, and she had a pretty clear picture of her favorite palace and she just wanted to see it again. So what if she had done it on accident? Since discovering her magic, she had done a lot of stranger things on accident (you should get her to tell you about the weasel and bagger one time. Just make sure Cain and the Consort aren't in the room), "And yes, I had accidentally done it the first time, but I think I can figure out how to do it on purpose. Oh, wait!"

DG spun around quickly, Evan almost ran into her, "There's a problem with my magic and I was wondering if you could help me."

Evan was still reeling from learning about another magical feat performed by this slight girl, and he certainly was extremely worked about a mage of substantial power who thought something was not right with their magic. He was especially worried if it was something an inexperienced mage could pick up on, "What's wrong?"

"Well, I don't really have access to my magic. Not all of it anyway. I think it has something to do with the magical block my mother placed on my memoires."

"I thought you broke through the Queen's barrier?"

"No, it's still there. I just have the memories of seeing the memories," DG told him. She actually never remembered dying and her mother's whisper. Her memories were vague from before crossing to the Otherside. She had glimpses of her childhood, and pretended that she knew more than she did. The only people to have caught her in the lies were Raw and Wyatt. And even then only Wyatt knew how much she didn't remember and he helped her realize that it wasn't her fault or even the magic's. She was five and who remembered very much about when they were that young?

"Well… That's…"

"Yeah, it kind of sucks but, you know. Anyway, I know that the block is supposed to help control my reawakened magic; my dad explained it's kind of like a leaky faucet. I was wondering if you could take the spell off."

"No, my dear, I'm afraid I can't," he said with a sigh of relief. He was quite glad that nothing was _actually _wrong with her magic, that it was actually function exactly as they had planned for it to. Whether that was a good or bad, he had yet to decide, "It was specifically designed to not be removed, but wear away. If the Witch had been able to remove it, we had thought that it would have overloaded you and been your demise."

"Damn. That's going to be a problem."

"Why? As you say, you were able to defeat the Witch under this same scenario before. You can't do it again, gaining your magic little by little?"

"It's not like it's gone. I can still feel it sitting there, and I'm not going to lie, I suck at keeping my emotions and magic separate. So, as things get worse – and they will –, every time I get scared or angry or whatever, I'll probably set off some magic and it may send me into total magical exhaustion. And let me tell you, it ain't pretty."

"Total exhaustion? Now that's exaggerating things…"

"Cleaning you out of the vapors, and only halfway I might add, got me halfway there. And when I tried to place a memory charm on the Nurture Units it also wiped me out."

He was shocked, "A memory charm? Of course it did. That is some very complicated spellwork, not something you should be drabbling in." DG shook her head at the abolishment. It was nothing that she hadn't heard before, but ignored. She spent a lot of her free time early on experimenting with her magic and learning what she could her own way. Everything that Tutor had had her doing was too easy, and yeah, the stuff was complex, but not that difficult and she was careful.

They had made it back close to the others and made no more comments, to anyone, as they all went about trying to get some sleep.

* * *

><p>That next morning, DG was ready with her memory for the Mystic Man. She had slept probably at most two hours, and then spent the rest figuring what all she needed to show them. She worked in out by the time the first sun broke and the men started to wake. It was just up to him to uphold his part of the deal.<p>

Cain brought the subject up first, "So, what's the plan? Are we going north or elsewhere?"

"DG has convinced me that it would indeed be helpful to share with you the purpose of her journeying to the Ice Palace," Evan told them, leaving them hanging for a moment.

"And?" Glitch said, half excited, half frustrated.

"Dorothigale needed to reconnect with her past and know what she when she was here and what her purpose was now. The easiest way to do that was taking her to a place what would jog her memory, so to speak," Evan explained as DG dug in her bag, appearing rather uninterested in the conversation.

"And that would be?"

"It would be easier to show you all the memory. I am able to use my magic to unlock the memories and show them to you, if Dorothigale is willing." DG was glad that

DG stood, dusting off her hindquarters, and retorted, "It's DG and I would love to know who I am. Let's get this show on the road."

"Yes, yes, DG, old habits and whatnot," Evan had instructed DG earlier in the morning on how to construct her memory and leave it open for him to project, "Now, just relax and breathe."

Her eyes slid closed and DG let out a deep breath through her mouth. The Mystic Man held the tips of her head near her temple and murmured under his breathe. Cain never really understood magic, and when push came to shove, he didn't particularly trust either. He had seen the good, the bad, and the worst when it came to all this mystical crap. Hell, he had been forced into the worst of it for eight years. Even if it was the Mystic Man preforming the spell, he himself had said magic was unpredictable. So Cain was completely justified in his worry for DG's life…. Right?

But either way, a small pulsing greenish light left the man's fingertips, passed through DG's temple and out the other end, larger, brighter, and predominately white. The orb floated out into the center of the quasi-circle they had created and stopped there for a moment. Then it began to stretch. Its smoky white tendrils unfurled from the bright center and twisted and turned until it smoothed out. It pulsed twice, first a dull green light then a bright white light before an image appeared.

_The view panned side to side, across a large darkened room with many treelike pillars. The image seemed to be growing large until a staircase came into view. The memory spun slight, like the person – DG? – had turned and came upon a large portrait. _

"That's her, my mother… She's the Queen," DG said quietly finally opening her eyes.

"That make DG princess," Raw said with some awe, giving her a small bow.

She giggled slightly before catching Glitch's attention, "You knew my mother." The man looked more intently at the picture and DG saw the light spark in his eyes.

"I knew I wasn't an idiot," he said softly, before adding sharply in Cain's direction, "Or a convict. I was the Queen's advisor."

Cain ignored the comment completely, rather taking in DG's reaction about her identity. She did nothing but eagerly drink in the woman's face. He was coming to find that she was tough as nails when around other people, but knew that she wasn't sleeping. She was bottling everything up and that wouldn't end well. He wanted to get her to talk about it, but knew it wasn't his place nor what to say that would help at all.

The image began to spin and blur and smoke out. Suddenly Raw gasped and began to shake his head, "Bad things. Bad things happen."

DG had known that this was going to be hard on her empathic friend. He hadn't seen it last time, just been a conduit for the emotions and such. This would be different. She placed hand in his forearm and rubbed is soothingly, cooing, "I'm sorry Raw, but we have to know."

He whimpered slightly but said no more.

_The image stopped on the memory of the Queen singing DG to sleep. The dark-haired woman finished her singing and placed a soft kiss on her daughter's cheek._

"_My Angel, my light. Sleep well," the mother whispered. _

"Wait, that's you. I knew you too!" Glitch said.

But DG wasn't paying attention. She smiled at the memory of a memory and, not for the first or second time, wished she could remember all the love and affection she had gotten from her real parents.

_The Queen got up from the plush bed and left the room, only for another dark haired person to enter the room. _

"_The Majestic Queen of the Oz, had two lovely daughters she." _

"That's Azkadillia. Marbles or not, evil like that you don't forget," Glitch told them.

"Azkadillia's my sister," it came out a bit more venomous than DG had intended, but she was having a hard time restraining herself. She wanted so badly to protect her sister where she had failed her the first – and most important – time.

"_One to darkness she be drawn, and one to light she be shown. Double Eclipse, it is foreseen, light meets dark and the stillness between. But one, and one alone… _

"_Will hold the Emerald and take the thrown. Will hold the Emerald and take the thrown." Dark smoke floated out of the eldest Princess' hands and wrapped itself around the young girl's throat. Bright blue eyes flew open as she struggled for breathe. _

DG took in the scene differently this time she was watching it. She looked carefully at her own face and was slightly surprised. She didn't seem all that scared or bewildered as her beloved sister suffocated her. She had learned from Az one sleepless night, that she had fought with the Witch for total control for almost a year after the incident in the cave. There would have been moments when she was half Az half the Witch or totally the Witch, but never just Az. _Perhaps I had known what happened to my sister in that cave and wasn't surprised that she wanted to kill me. I'd want to kill me._

_Finally the young girl became still and the magic retracted. _Raw whimpered again, but everyone stayed silent. _Azkadillia left the room as the Queen walked back down the hallway. Curious as to what her 'bi-polar', as her lovely slipper husband put it, older child was doing, she poked her head in the room and felt the coldness. As she proceeded fully into the room, she let out a heart broken wail and flew to her little DG's bedside. _

"_I'm so sorry I didn't protect you! I never thought –" she kissed the girl's face. The mother stared at her blank face of her baby before an idea dawned on her own. She then opened her mouth and a greyish-purple smoke left her and entered the dead child. _

DG started slightly. She hadn't noticed that before. Actually know that she thought about it… she hadn't noticed the colors before ever… Her mother's light, magic there had a light purple – almost lilac – tint to it, the bliss spell had a weird mustardy hue (yellow for Az and dark brown for the witch?), and the Mystic Man an emerald green (how shocking). She was going to have to look into that at a later date.

_The Queen's hair greyed and DG took a gasping breath. The Queen took a moment to catch her own breathe. _

"_Oh my angel… Fear not my child. There is one thing that can stop her. The emerald of the Eclipse," she then leaned in close and whispered into her ear for a moment before pulling back, "The secret to finding it now live inside of you. When the time is right you will return."_

The image faded and the white screen followed. Everyone was silent.

"So, we need to find this emerald," Glitch said slowly.

"Yes. It is all we have in which to fight this evil with," Evan said solemnly.

"So where is it?" Cain asked, and all eyes turned to DG.

"I don't know. That was a long time ago," she then turned to the Evan, as did Cain.

"Can you get it out like you did this memory?"

"No. The memory block that Her Majesty place on Doro – DG's memories is very strong around that information. She did not want any mage to be able to get to it should something happen."

"Well, how in the hell are we supposed to find it? Where are we even going to start?"

The older man turned to the princess, "Your mother told me to tell you that you need to find a message about your future… and your past… in the south."

"She was supposed to remember this in the Northern Isle, right?" Glitch said, "Well, pretty much all of the OZ is south of that."

DG spoke, looking and sounding thoughtful, "We had a winter home… It was really warm year around… That would be in the south right?"

"Definite possibility, kiddo."

"It was by a lake and fields…"

"Well, Lake Country is in the south, and it is said that the Royal family had a home there. But which lake, Deeg? There are hundreds."

The pair didn't notice the comfortable nickname slip out, but Evan certainly did and decided to watch these two closely.

"I can't remember," DG really didn't know where to go. She had found Finaqua by luck with the guys last time, and like hell she'd remember it now. She had come to grips with her crappy directional skills. Every time they had gone to the relaxing Palace after that they were either in a car or carriage and she wasn't driving, "It was… Magical, I guess. And the water is really really blue."

"Finaqua. Means magic water in Ancient," Glitch spouted off, clearly happy with himself.

"That maybe, but no one has ever been able to fine exactly where the lake is. It's protected by magic, for obvious reasons," the Mystic Man told them.

"Well, I had always heard it was in the western part of the lower Lake Country. Let's head that direction and maybe DG can get us going from there," Cain looked to her for confirmation and with a nod they had a plan.

* * *

><p>"<em>Well, I had always heard it was in the western part of the lower Lake Country. Let's head that direction and maybe DG can get us going from there." <em>

The Witch tapped her fingers on the container, nails clanking against the glass. She was fuming and barely was able to keep herself from killing every being within thirty feet in order to relax herself. She had been able to use the sample of the Mystic Man's magic they had extracted – quite painfully – all those years ago, and turn it into a sort of tracking beacon. Once she knew where they were, she could bring Lilo in to give them a visual as to what they were doing.

Of course the Queen would have told that wench were the Emerald was. Now she was only half glad that the second Daughter of Light hadn't actually perished when she had planned. Instead of having to look for the gem, the girl will just tell her, whether she likes it or not. The only problem was that she was still an unknown quality.

_Well this is something you are going to have to do for yourself and find out._

"Vysor, quick. Prepare my horse. I must intercept my _dear sister _during her misguided travels."

* * *

><p><strong>Good. God. 7,269 words. That is the longest chapter I have written. EVER. Even in my personal writing of my novel. I know you guys like long, but they are hard to write. Not much has happen in this chapter, but it just kept coming and coming. It wouldn't stop. And I'm not really sure I like most of this chapter... Parts I think are wonderful, but other make me want to cry... oh well, It over now. <strong>

**Anyway… I decided to give the Mystic Man a name for the same reasons DG stated in the story. It was too long to type out all the time. So I picked Evan. I like that name and it seems to suit him. At least to me.**

**I got the idea for turning Zero into a gross cat from a moment later on in the series. After the group escapes the tower, the Witch is talking to Zero about his failure to kill Cain (yay!). Zero says, "I shot him in the heart, out a window, into a freezing lake. The man has nine lives!" And the Witch says, "He's not the only one." And then Zero looked thoroughly chastised, and I felt that was only insinuating one thing. Zero had been a cat at one point. Because otherwise I don't think the comment would have made sense. Sadly this little tete-for-tate probably won't make it into my story because… Cain is not getting shot in the heart, out a window, into a freezing lake. Sorry if that spoils anything, but I think ya'll probably figured that out by now.**

**The next chapter… I'd love to say that it will be coming out soon, but I can't guarantee that. School is reeving up and I've got a lot on my plate. But have no fear! I'm not taking any classes this summer semester, aiming on spending my time working and writing. So, hopefully I'll be able to crank them chapters out after this month and half or so of school. That's not to say that you will have to wait until June for the next chapter, but at that point it should start moving faster.**

**So as always review. And if it does start to get to be a long time since the last chapter, please send me a (polite) message asking about the chapter, when I think it will be out and such. It does help me a lot. Sometimes I get so wrapped up in life that I literally forget to write. So getting a PM helps jog my memory and lets me know that people actually are out there that want to read my stuff. And if you do help me out, I will totally mention you in my chapter, like right now.**

**DrawnToDarkness got me motivated to finish writing this chapter in a PM response to a review on her story (which you should totally go read. Ashes and Emeralds. Amazing DGxCain story in progress. As is all her Tin Man stories.) She told me how she was hoping to see a chapter and that made me want to put my butt in a chair and tax my half a brain. So I do actually listen to ya'll. So thank you everyone who has reviewed and story alerted and everything. It means so much to me.**

**So, anyway long AN over, and make sure you review and check my profile for updates on the next chapter's progress.**

**Next Chapter: Some Things Never Change**


	9. Chapter 8: Somethings Never Change

**Yay! New chapter! And it didn't take until June. See I keep my word. Most of the time. Anyway, read on my fellow shippers.**

**Disclaimer: Don't own Tin Man. It's sad, isn't it?**

* * *

><p>Chapter 8: Some Things Never Change<p>

It wasn't too long before they were able to get on the road. Everyone was quiet, caught up in their own head, turning over what they had learned. DG wasn't too worried; everyone seemed to accept the story and took the news really well. She was beginning to feel a new hope.

Before this had been just a daunting task, with impossible odds, that she had to do, no matter what. But now it had changed. She had saved the Mystic Man; they weren't captured at the Northern Palace; she actually had help now. She was beginning to feel like she was actually going to be able to succeed. She was allowing herself to just bask in the happiness that her friends were alive.

That was probably her first mistake.

* * *

><p>They had been walking through the trees, trying to stay a ways from the road for safety, when a thick yellowy-brown fog quickly descended on them.<p>

"What is this?" Glitch called through the mist.

"Everyone, get –" Cain started when Raw yelled, "LONGCOATS!"

But it was too late. DG heard the gun shots and clashing of the metal arm plates against trees and just reacted. Her first thoughts were to protect her friends. She knew that, if captured, they'd be taken to the Tower, and the Witch didn't need any more play things. Particularly a Viewer already tortured ex-Tin Man, or the rest of Glitch's brain. Not when DG cared about them this much.

So her magic just snapped, determined to get them to safety. It was able to locate them through the fog and forcibly pull them into the underbrush.

Three out of the four yelled out at the sudden motion, fighting against it, and another spell flashed out, silencing and holding them where they were.

But what she didn't think about was herself. Almost the second that her friends were secure, DG was taken completely off guard by ropes that came flying at her out of nowhere. They wrapped themselves tight around her legs and torso, pinning her arms to her sides. The force of the unexpected blow and confinement threw DG to the ground with a startled yell, knocking the wind out of her.

She hit the ground hard and the smoke was sucked away like a vacuum. DG stared up into the dense tree tops, trying to catch her breathe. _ This is really, really bad. _

Soon, men in long rubbery leather jackets surrounded her. Zero appeared in her field of vision and roughly pulled her up. She struggled more out of principle than hope of escape. She was outnumbered and she knew it.

DG was forced forwards a short ways, before she was faced with the beautiful face of her sister. The harsh facial expression was foreign, but it was enough to make her want to cry. A few tears did fall but it was easily passed off as the smoke or being roughhoused. It had been a long. Lonely two and a half months without he sister.

"Well, well… If it isn't the sister I thought I no longer had." But the witch she could do without.

DG grunted as she pushed against the hands that held her, to stand in a more erect position, "What do you want?"

As she gave the automatic response, something else dawned on her, "How did you find me?"

The Witch stepped closer, reaching out with one long blood red nail to trace DG's jawline, "I've always wondered what you'd look like."

DG gritted her teeth, "How. Did. You. Find. Me?"

The thing that was wearing the Heir Apparent's face dropped her hand and smiled sickly sweet, "Oh, my innocent naïve little sister. Did you really think that I would just let you have the Mystic Man, without reason? I am tracking his magic. I am keeping an eye on you, like any good big sister should."

DG was sure to keep her blank, wide-eyed stare in place. The Witch was trying to bait her, but she wasn't going to rise to it. DG would deal with this little tidbit of information later. She looked straight into her sister's eyes and couldn't find the lavender flecks that used to be so prominent, "Well, you've found me, so… why don't you let me go and then find me again? Like a really big game of hide and seek? It's been so long since we've played…."

DG watched as The Witch clenched her Jaw. The predator didn't like her food playing with her. She turned away and paced the dirt in front of them for a moment, before speaking again, "Mother never could leave well enough alone. Always loved to play favorites, she did. Horrible, really, but I'm here to rectify that."

The Witch turned on her heel to look DG in the eye, malice gleaming like crazy, "Where is the Emerald?"

The Witch was satisfied to see the millisecond of shock flash in those clear blue eyes, even if she didn't get a response, "Don't tell me that you haven't dreamed of it? Heard it calling to you to be found from its dark hiding place."

"No, I haven't," the Witch was surprised to see complete honesty in her Princess of Light's eyes. But it didn't sway her; she clearly could get people to do as she pleased. Skillful lying would not be outside her skillset.

"No? That's a shame… Very well…." The Witch turned away again, and walked back towards her horse, "Take her. And where are her companions?"

"It appears they fled when you produced the smoke screen," a lower soldier reported, shaking slightly.

The Witch tsked and she swung her leg and gown over her saddle, "Cowards… Isn't it sad, little sister, what has become of the once proud people of the OZ? But don't worry; I am in the process of changing all of that. And you shall help me."

DG was dragged after the Witch as they rode out, forcing herself not to glance back at the bushes.

* * *

><p>It was hours before Cain was able to move again. Part of him was keenly aware of the fact that he should be having a claustrophobic attack; this was all too like the suit and he had barely been able to handle Demilo's van.<p>

But he wasn't. He was just fine. It was strange actually. When in the suit, it had been cold, dark and cramped. Now felt like he was wrapped up in a very comfortable, warm blanket. He even felt lov –

Well, anyway, it was different. He knew he was going to be let up eventually, and he was fine with that. It was… Well, the magic was _telling _him it would free him.

Finally, it made good on its promise, and he shot up out of the foliage. The Headcase soon followed and Raw helped Evan stand.

"What the hell was that?" Cain demanded, "Did you use magic to hide us? Why not DG?"

Evan looked disparagingly at him, "No, Wyatt. Have you ever known me to run? Besides, there was a long buffer after they left. There was no need for that. I daresay that was DG and she doesn't have full grips on her magic."

Cain growled at no one in particular, "What was that about tracking your magic? Is that even possible?"

Evan sighed and nodded, "Magic leaves minute traces on everything. Only unbelievably powerful mage can detect their presences without assistance, and even then it's extremely difficult to use those seeds to find someone. As powerful as the Sorceress is she does not possess that much. There is an ancient spell that if she had a sample of my magical energy, which I assume, she took while I was… incapacitated, she could find me and, perhaps, see what I see for a brief moment. But that would work only once, so we should be in the clear now."

Glitch glanced between the two for half a second, before speaking, "Well, what are we going to do? Get her back?"

"Obviously," Cain barked.

"Well I meant, how? And what if Azkadee had already killed her?"

"DG live. Feel her. Sleep. Longcoats transport," Raw told them.

"Well, where would they take her?" Glitch asked, oddly the temporary voice of reason.

"I would guess Azkadillia's headquarters. Her tower in the west," Evan told them.

"Well, let's go. It's not too far from here. We should get there by morning," Cain said, already walking in that direction. He wanted to get her out of there, and as quickly as possible. He wasn't going to think about why.

* * *

><p>It was nearly midnight before Evan was able to talk Cain into stopping.<p>

They didn't even really make a camp, Raw and Glitch just dropping down and falling asleep. Despite his insistence, Cain gave Evan the first watch, while he _tried _to sleep. In reality, he planned on only dozing, not all too fond of the nightmares and really weird dreams he's been having lately. But his body betrayed him.

_He could feel what was going on around him but it was like there was a layer of… something between him and the world. _

_He was cold. And something was broken. So much snow. White. _

_He felt confirmation, not shock. He already knew. In fact he explained it. _Explained what?

_Then he was angry. But he was always angry now. But this was different. _

"_No wife and child crying for years…" _

_His own breathless voice floated in and out, "My family's… My family's alive… my Family's alive…" _

_Then he was cold again, so much colder. And wet. Falling… falling… _

Cain jerked awake, reaching for his gun out of habit. No one was around, Evan facing the opposite direction.

He laid his head back on the tree he was leaning against and watched the moons. _What the hell was that?_

* * *

><p>DG awoke as Longcoats dragged her through the labyrinth of tunnels and cells. Whatever they had used to knock her out was wearing off and she knew that she was in some serious trouble.<p>

She didn't struggle as she was carried to her cell. She was outnumbered and quite at a disadvantage. She needed a moment to gather her head.

She was unceremoniously dumped onto the floor of her cell and the door slammed behind her. DG listened to the chuckling as the men walked away and got comfortable. She had to wait until she came up with a plan.

DG gazed over at the empty cell and smiled. She remembered her encounter with the Mystic Man, as odd as it was. She was glad to not have a repeat even if it was going to give them some trouble. _So the Witch can track Evan's magic… That's new. _DG hadn't known that that was possible but she didn't doubt it. She'd talk to Evan about it later, but right now she wasn't going to worry about it. So, they'd have to deal with the Witch breathing down their necks. Not ideal, but they had done it before.

Her current worry was about getting out of here. She knew Tutor was around here somewhere. She figured that she'd have to break him out. If the Witch were able to track them through Evan, she'd have no reason to plant a spy. But Toto had that training doll and after she had used it, her magic was more available. It didn't make any sense to her, but she was willing to try anything at this point.

She sat for hours just thinking, remembering the better times here in the OZ and how much she wanted to get back to that and stay there. Her musings were interrupted when two Longcoats approached and entered her cell. Before she was even able to stand, the men ambushed her with a vital of something and the second the injection was put in her, her eye got droopy.

DG was barely able to register she was being moved, until she was brought into what she remembered at the initialization room. She could barely make out her sister sanding off to the side, talking with her robo-rents. _Well, that didn't work. _

Then she started to feel really weird. She felt weird to begin with – being drugged does that – but now if felt like little tiny… things were traveling through her body eating up the medication. She felt her mind getting clearer and clearer. _Gotta love magic._

She lazily watched as the Alchemist started to reeve up the projection machine and knew she had to say something.

"It won't work," She said groggily. You could have heard a pin drop, the room was so quiet. She worked to sit up, rolling her head and shoulders, trying to rid herself of the weird sensation, "I know this isn't a dream and they aren't my real parents."

The Sorceress stared directly at the infuriating girl, "Well, aren't we just full of surprises… But I suppose the more direct approach will suffice."

DG chuckled, "You are so twisted."

"Why? Because with a little rewiring I could get something I've missed out on for too long? A father's love? Mother's affection?" DG could see a bit of her sister shining through in the statement, the scared little girl left alone for too long.

But she spoke directly to the parasite that inhabited the body, "Oh, kill the pity party, sick old hag."

The Witch's eyes widened a fraction. _She couldn't know about me…. There is no way… _

DG continued, "Where are our parents? Where are you holding our mother?"

"Daddy, the theft, abandoned us after…" Dark eyes traveled up the length of DG's body, "_died. _Mother had his name banished from the lands. Ever the drama queen..."

"That hasn't answered my question."

"There came a time where she had to be isolated." The Witch walked over to her imaging tank, and the haggard face of the Queen appeared, calling for her youngest daughter.

When DG looked away from the tank and back towards her captor, the face was sweeter, softer, closer to that of the real Az, "DG… Just tell me where the Emerald is. Tell where it is and I'll take you to her. She wants to see you…"

"I don't remember. That was a long time ago," DG looked deep into the woman's eyes and could tell that Az was close to the surface. She had to be, there was no way that the Sorceress alone could even pretend to sound that innocent and caring.

"We could pry the memories out of her," Zero suggested from his corner, and it took every bit of DG's limited self-control not to strike the man down where he stood.

"Zero, she's my sister…" The Witch sighed and stepped closer. When she looked at DG again, DG saw her eyes were shining slightly. Az was so close. _Maybe I could talk to her. Tell her to hold on for a little bit longer, _"I have really made this much of a family reunion, have I?"

DG couldn't say anything. She didn't know how to proceed. She wanted to be snarky and rude to the Witch, but comfort her big sister. She couldn't do both.

But Az continued anyway, "I want to show you something. Share something with you."

They made their way out on to the balcony where they had – and will – defeat the Witch. Az guided them towards the edge, overlooking the vastness that was the OZ. DG worked on keeping her breathing normal. She really didn't want to fall off again.

"The Majestic Queen of the OZ has two lovely Daughters she. Double Eclipse, it is foreseen, light meets dark and the stillness between. But one and one alone will hold the Emerald and take the thrown."

Az let the silence fall between them.

"You missed part," DG spoke softly.

"What?" Az's inquisitive nature shone through as she turned around.

"The Majestic Queen of the OZ has two lovely Daughters she. One to darkness she be drawn, and one to light she be shown…. That's the whole prophecy. You skip that part because Az doesn't like it. She doesn't like thinking she's the one 'drawn to darkness'. And even as you try to take her completely, you are not in total control."

DG watched as Az looked on with surprise, until the Witch firmly took control again, "What do you know, _little sister."_

"That you are not my sister. You have taken over my sister's body and have subjected her mind to your cruelty, because of my mistake. You are afraid of me because you killed me and yet I'm here. You are realizing that I am more powerful than you and will defeat you."

"You... You… Little Wench! How dare-"

"I will get my sister back and we will defeat you."

"Guards! Guards, take her away!"

"Az, I know you can hear me! Hold on, Az! I'm coming for you!"

"GUARDS!" The Sorceress screeched. She felt the little Gale bitch fighting against her now, trying to get to her little sister that was reaching out to her, that knew she was there and that this wasn't her doing.

The Longcoats finally got out there and took a hold of the girl, but DG just continued on, "Az, Mother and Father have sent me to get you. They still love you, and sent me to fix my mistake! This is all my fault! I'm so sorry!"

The Witch was infuriated and yelled, blasting a force of magic at the insolent princess. The moment it hit the young women's chest, she flailed backwards, unconscious.

"Strap her to the viewing chair and got get Lilo," The Witch said through gritted teeth, clenching and unclenching her fists and jaw, trying to desperately stay in control.

* * *

><p>When DG bounced back from the blast, she heard the Witch yelling at Lilo.<p>

"Lilo can't find! Aarrraghhhh!"

"FOCUS!"

"Something! Something protecting memories!"

"Break through!"

She didn't try to fight this time. She knew that there was no way for the Witch to get at the information. All she wanted to do was protect the poor viewer. He was the only one that was there to take care of Kalm. She reached out will her magic and used her light to sustain him, as he got closer and closer to the barrier and the more they used that damn cattle prod.

"Emerald… Stop Azkadillia… Hall is grey. Emerald in the Grey Gale!"

"The Grey Gale? What's the Grey Gale?"

"Lilo doesn't know… Memories blocked by… Magic…" Then he passed out. DG was able to send out her magic again and saw that, while he was hurting, the damage wasn't fatal or permanent. Right now. They would need to get out of here, and take some time in the peace and quiet of nature to be fully healed.

The Witch mumbled as she stalked out of the room and DG was untied and dragged off. DG would have smiled at the fact she seemed to through the Witch so off balance, but she was tired.

* * *

><p>The group of men had woken up early and made haste towards the tower. Currently the four were crouching behind dirt embankments, Cain trying to figure out how they were going to get into the heavily fortified base and Glitch rambling on about some story about a dance.<p>

Evan quietly made has way over towards the contemplative Tin Man, "So, what is the plan?"

"I have no idea… Any possible entrance is heavily covered. Even the Central City Palace was never this heavily guarded…" Cain was trying hard to come up with something, but the Headcase wouldn't shut up, and he snapped.

"She may have taken my brain, but rhythm! That comes directly from the –"

"If you have any bright ideas about how to get in there…"

"I mean I don't mind taxing my half a brain for DG, but just once I wish someone would acknowledge me for my rhythm. Which I was trying to say, before I was so rudely interrupted, comes directly from the soul!"

When Glitch completed his monologue, he could feel Cain's eye drilling into the back of his head and he risked glancing back at him. He looked thoroughly exasperated as he said, "You know, Cain, sometimes you make me feel just like those ladies at the dance did. Like I blend right into the wallpaper."

The comment struck a cord with the Tin Man and he looked back out over the plethora of troops. He stole a glance at the Mystic Man and saw the wheels turning in his mind too, "That could work."

"Indeed, it may. But I would have to suggest that Master Raw and I stay here. I would slow you down, and the malicious emotion all trapped in there could be deprecating to a viewer. Besides, two would be the easiest to sneak in."

Glitch got a cocky smile, "You wanna dance?"

Wyatt looked at him warily, "I'll lead, you follow."

* * *

><p>DG was taken to her cell and she knew that she had to make her escape. How she was going to do that, she had no idea. She couldn't count on Toto to open the door, and she was afraid to use anymore of her magic if she didn't have to.<p>

Just as she was starting to stress over what she was going to do, her dinner of – quite literally – trough slop fell through the ceiling and that rat showed up again. DG eyed it warily. It hadn't worked the first time, but then she had had the rat on the wrong side… Maybe she could do. It was worth a try.

DG bent down and scooped up some of the nasty yellow stuff. She took it over towards the door and prepared to throw it.

"I can't believe I'm doing this," she mumbled as the piece hit its mark.

Slowly she worked the rat up the wall and onto the locking mechanism. She carefully got it next to the right side of the wheel. She tossed the kernel on the handle, the rat lunged for it, and….

The door to her right opened, instead of the left one like last time.

DG let her head fall to the metal bars of her cell door, "Why am I not surprised?"

She stayed like that for a couple minutes, trying to catch her breath. She had been using her magic over the last day and a half or so and it was starting to catch up with her.

She was trying to figure out what she was going to do and not fall asleep, when she was startled by a bark. A small dog ran into the tunnel and scared away the rat. This time she wasn't so mad about it. Indeed she was shocked.

The dog barked at her, and she smiled slightly, "Hey, do I know you?" she said breathily, still too winded for her liking.

The dog scampered up the railing and quickly turned the wheel, opening her cell door.

She smiled, "Thanks."

Than an idea hit her and she went quickly off towards her left. Toto barked warningly at her. She popped her around the corner, "I have to go this way," and disappeared down the hall.

* * *

><p>DG used a low level tracking spell and was able to locate the spell she placed on Lilo. She moved deftly, avoiding Longcoats. She made it to the cell where the viewers were being held and saw Kalm crouched over Lilo. She went over to the only wheel mechanism thing in this cross section and began to spin it. This gained the young viewer's attention, and she saw the hurt and fear in his eyes.<p>

She had gotten to know the young viewer after the Eclipse and when he and Raw had come back from their village. She really liked him. He was sweet and shy at first, but after gaining his trust, he showed to be every bit of the normal rambunctious 12 year-old that he was. The pair of them had caused the Tin Man _and_ Raw headaches and heart attacks. It was awesome.

But she focus on getting him and the older Viewer out. She spun the device a few time but it kept opening the wrong doors. Finally she gave a frustrated growl, and stalked towards the door. She held her palm towards the door and pushed her light, under the door and up. The locking mechanism snapped and the door shot up.

She moved slowly, entering the cell as Kalm backed up and tried to muster up a ferocious growl. She lifted her hands up in a subservient motion, "I'm not going to hurt you Kalm."

"How – How do you know my name?" the young boy asked, crowding next to his father.

"I know one of your tribe members. He told me a lot about you and how you guys were stuck here. I want to help."

She took another small step forward, but Kalm still flinched away from her. Lilo groaned, and moved slightly. His head lulled to the side and she found herself looking into another set of deep brown eyes.

"Have magic. Protect Lilo from pain."

"Yes. I wanted to help. I still do."

"Not enough magic to do that."

DG smiled sweetly, "I wouldn't jump to conclusions."

Dark eyes flickered back to her, and hazed out for a moment. DG recognized the use of a Viewer gift, "You are Lost Princess."

"Yes."

"Save us from Sorceress… And save sister."

"That's the overall plan. But right now I'm concerned with saving you guys. If you'll let me," DG said smiling kindly at Kalm.

"Take Kalm, please. Get him to village in Eastern Guild. Not home but Viewers there take him."

"Nope. It's all or nothing. I'm not leaving you here."

"Must. Can't go. Hurt."

"Ahh… Details, details," DG said with a smile. She finished entering the room and crouched beside Kalm. He squirmed a little, and DG didn't know it that was because he wasn't used to trusting humans or the fact that she was a girl. But she smiled at him and began her work. She placed her hands gingerly on his chest and forehead and closed her eyes. She nudged her light towards his magic and felt the cooling feeling of Sight. It was snarled and twisted from the pain that the Alchemists used to induce their gift. She sent a wash of light over him and it helped smooth out the knots and fix his external wounds, but it would only tie him over until they got out. He would have to do some deep meditation.

She pulled back slowly, so that he wouldn't feel the loss of her magic so keenly, and opened her eyes. She was breathing deeper now, but the job was done. She watch as Lilo sat up, watching her with no small amount of awe.

She sucked in some air before speaking, "If you'll let me, I can hide you from the guards. You will be able to slip out undetected. They won't know you are missing until you are long gone."

Lilo was opening his mouth to speak, but Kalm beat him to it, "You can do that?" Curiosity, excitement, and hope shown in his eyes.

"I can. Want me to?" DG smiled at the boy and reached her hand out. He hesitantly leant forward, and DG rested her hand on the side of his hand, fingers tangling in his mane. She let out a wave of magic, wrapping him in protective spell and a glamor spell. She also threw in a calming spell to ease his nerves.

After she opened her eyes, she smiled brightly at him, "Now, that wasn't so bad, right?" he smiled hesitantly at her, as she moved to repeat the process on Lilo.

When they were done, they all stood and DG stumbled only slightly.

"Can we repay you?" Lilo grumbled, softly.

DG looked at him for a moment before speaking, "I'd hate to ask, but yes. I need your help. After the Eclipse, after the Witch is stopped, we will still have a lot to fix. I was hoping that you may be able to get the Viewer to pledge their loyalty back to the Royal House of Gale. I would be forever in your debt."

Lilo was thoughtful, "Viewers mistrust humans for long time. House of Gale fail and use Viewers. May not be willing."

DG visibly deflated, but Lilo continued to speak, "But when told of Princess rise and goodness, will reconsider, Lilo sure."

DG smiled, "Thank you, Master Lilo." Lilo cocked his head, but bowed to her. He and Kalm rushed down the hallway she had indicated they should use and disappeared from sight. Her reverie was broken by a bark.

She looked down the long hallway to where Toto was waiting, out of ear shot, but watching for Longcoats, "Alright, I'm comin', I'm comin'."

* * *

><p>She followed Toto through the labyrinth of pipes and machinery. She was getting dizzier and dizzier with every step, tunnel vision now a prominent problem. She had stopped think about four stair wells ago and was just going, wanting to get out of here.<p>

But she had to stop every now and then to get her bearings. When she'd do this, Toto would bark incessantly at her. Like now.

She needed to catch her breath or she was going to fall down. She leaned against the wall as Toto barked at her from around the corner. When he suddenly stopped, she had thought he decided to go on without her. She wouldn't put it past her Tutor. His patience level was incredibly low when it came to her. It was hilarious. Most of the time.

Not now. Now, she figured she needed to follow him. So she charged after him, rounding the corner and bounced off a warm body. She didn't even have the energy to process that, because she was in enemy territory that it was probably a bad guy and she should run. Actually, all she thought about how that was rude, she was already having a hard enough time standing on her own, she didn't need anyone pushing her down.

Sluggishly she drew her eyes up to try and glare evilly at the intruder. She was surprised to hear a gruff voice fill her ears and smiled tiredly.

"Hey there, Princess."

She smiled a little bit wider, as darkness engulfed her.

"Wyatt," she said softly as she fell.

* * *

><p>It had been easy enough to get in and get disguises. Or rather to say it was easy for Glitch. He did most of the work. Cain had to admit that he was impressed. They were currently making their way through the Tower trying to figure out how they were going to find DG. It probably wouldn't have been such a bad thing to bring along the Furball.<p>

They were in the middle of a quiet argument when they heard hurried footsteps. They fell silent as they tried to act casual. Because of his training at the Academy, Cain knew that they were around the corner they were approaching and they would see them soon.

What he didn't expect was to have the person come flying around said corner and run right into his chest. Out of habit, his hand shot out and held on to the person so they wouldn't fall, and was surprised to find that they were soft warm and short. As he looked down, he realized it was exactly who they were looking for.

As she looked up at him, he couldn't resist giving her a crooked smile, "Hey there, Princess."

She smiled up at him and he noticed how sluggish her movements were, despite the fact she had just been running. Her eyes were cloudy and her hand came up to grip his on her shoulder extremely slow.

She breathed out his name and his eyes flew open. He hadn't been aware that she knew his full name, let alone how she said it with such familiarity, or how it was familiar to _him. _

He didn't get too much time to dwell on it, because her eyes slid closed and she started to fall back.

"Whoa," he quickly wrapped his arms around her, slowing her descent to the floor.

Glitch was behind his shoulder in a second, "What's wrong with her? Is she okay?"

Cain pulled her closer to him and checked her pulse, "I don't know. I think that she's just asleep. Azkadillia must have done something to her."

Suddenly a little dog appeared out of nowhere and bit Glitch. Thankfully, it's teeth weren't able to break through leather material, but it still got his attention.

"Ouch! What was for?" Glitch cried, trying to shake of the small creature.

The dog lost interest in him and lunged for Cain, who pulled out his gun which had the dog shrinking back. Probably the only reason it didn't get shot on the spot was the fact that DG had twitched and began to murmur unhappily, distracting Cain.

But when it started barking up a storm, that refocused him pretty fast, "Hush, you."

But he just ignored him. Instead it bit onto DG's pant leg and tried to pull her in the direction that it appeared she had been heading.

"What is it doing?" Glitch asked.

"I think it wants us to take her that way."

Glitch blinked, "Follow a dog?"

"It wouldn't surprise me if DG had been, and she got out somehow," Cain gathered the frowning girl up in his arms, "Come on. At any rate we have to get out of here."

* * *

><p>It was touch and go there for a little bit, but the dog did show them a way to get out through some piping. Cain was starting to get nervous about the Kid, she kept twitching strangely, mumbling and had started to tremble about ten minutes ago. He wanted to get her to Raw, and soon. But they had to make it back up the hill. And if anything there were more Longcoats out now, with the sirens sounding.<p>

It was a slow progress, but they made it.

"Oh, good you've made it. We heard the sirens sound and began to think the worst. Now, we – DG!" Evan rushed forward as Cain crested the hill behind Glitch, Raw following him.

Cain knelt down and lowered DG to the ground, but kept her propped up against him. He pushed her hair back as he pulled her head forward from where it had been lulling lifelessly. He could see a faint sheen of sweat that had broken out on her very pale brow. He knew from plenty of his own nightmares that her sleep was not a restful one and she was fighting hard against some of her demons. And that just made him want to hold her tight.

"Raw, can you figure out what's wrong with her?" Cain asked briskly.

The Healer got to work, and Evan knelt beside them on the other side, "What in Glinda's name happened?"

"We're not sure. We had been tryin' to figure out how to find where she was being held when she came flyin' around the corner. She just passed out shortly after that," Cain explained.

Raw removed his hands and shook his head, "DG body fine. Sleep, but won't wake."

Cain was getting worried, but he saw a light spark in Evan's eyes, "Let me try something."

Evan then laid a hand on the side of DG's face and one on her ribcage. He closed his eyes and his hands began to glow a soft green. Cain started slightly, staring at his hands. He had worked for the Mystic Man for quite some time, seen him do a good bit of magic, but he had never seen his magical doings glow green. Maybe it was a side effect of the vapors. But he doubted that. Something had changed though…

Suddenly Evan pulled his hands away roughly, as they glowed a brilliant emerald green, and DG's whole body flashed white. She then stopped shivering and was moving more naturally.

They were all silent until Cain spoke, "What was that?"

Evan stared at the girl, wide eyed, "I don't know."

"You don't know?"

"I have never experienced anything like that before. Her magic was replenishing itself so fast… I think it even refreshed mine," Evan said is disbelief, flexing his fingers.

DG then groaned and everyone watched as her eyes fluttered open.

* * *

><p>DG felt like she was floating in that oblivion again, but was rapidly coming aware of the world around her. It took her a moment, but vaguely remembered that this was what it felt like when she had purposefully put herself into a full on drain.<p>

She remembered the last time it had taken a long time for her to be able to drag herself from out of that place. It was grueling work, with pins and needles prodding her forward, but a dark heavy blackness holding her down. Now it felt like someone had taken her hand and was not only helping her push through the barrier, but gently pulling her to the surface.

Before long, DG found herself blinking against the daylight. Even when it was overcast, it was too bright.

"Deeg? Kiddo, can you hear me?" She squinted, tilting her head back and met with a pair of worried ice blue eyes.

"Yeah," DG let her head drop down and rest comfortable against his chest as she looked around. And boy did that catch her off guard.

Everyone was glowing. Not like flashing neon glowing, but giving off a subtle colored aura. Well, Evan's wasn't so subtle. It was a good foot of a thick emerald green mist surrounding him. The others weren't so bad, though Raw was toting six inches of the worst burnt orange DG's ever seen and Glitch was shimmering a nice burgundy color. Even Toto in dog form was glowing magenta. And all DG could do was stare at them.

"DG? Dorothy, are you all right?" Evan finally broke through.

DG shook her head slightly, "Umm… I think I need to stand up."

Then she was gently being maneuvered up by Wyatt and DG took the opportunity to peek at him. Yep, he was glowing too. But his was different. It was very thin and legitly subtle. Described as only a very fine mist and less than half an inch wide, Cain had a white outline around his body.

Once she was placed firmly on her feet she realized that was a bad idea.

"Whoa…" DG doubled over, hands pressed against her eyes.

"Doll, are you okay?" Glitch jumped forward.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm good, just head rush," DG rubbed her eyes a few times as she straightened up. When she opened up her eyes, the colors were gone. _That was strange… _

"Are you sure? Because – " Evan was cut off by a bark.

Everyone's attention shifted and the dog transformed into middle aged man.

In hindsight, DG's not all that surprised to see Wyatt's gun pointed straight at the man.

* * *

><p><strong>So, not much to say. Hope you like the chapter; tell me what you like, what you loved, what could have been done without. I hope that the next chapter will come out soon, but no promises. This next one seems to be a doozy.<strong>

**I'm going to try something different. To try and get some conversation with my readers going. Review Challenge! Predict what you think will happen at certain points of the mini-series or what you'd like to see!**

**Next Chapter: Finaqua**


	10. Chapter 9: Journey to Finaqua

**I know. A chapter just over a week after the last. Suprising. Also, just kidding. This chapter is not going to be about Finaqua. It's going to be about **_**getting **_**to Finaqua. At least part of the way. I forgot how much happened before they actually made it. Lol.**

**I have to tell ya'll, before I let you read this, that when I was watching the mini-series for writing a part of this scene, the whole group was standing around talking, and I – legitimately and out loud – asked, "Wait… Where's the Mystic Man?" Only to, seconds later, face palm and think, **_**Oh, right. He dead. **_**I'm losing my mind. **

**And, everyone always slams on Ahamo's mutton chops (which are bad, don't get me wrong), but seriously, go back and watch the scene where DG heals the Papay tree, when Toto is giving her advice. Now there is some creepy facial hair. Just sayin'. **

**Disclaimer: Don't own Tin Man. But I want one. Not necessarily Cain, but that'd be cool too. **

* * *

><p>Chapter 9: Journey to Finaqua<p>

The black man raised his hands, "It's alright. I'm a friend of your mother's. She sent me to help. We have an Emerald to find."

Cain was the first to respond, "I don't think so."

Suddenly the sirens coming from the Tower suddenly got louder, and DG could faintly hear the tanks revving up, "Guys, we need to move further away. Come on."

The tension was momentarily broken, but no one moved. DG groaned, grabbed the Mystic Man's sleeve and tugged him along with her. That got them moving.

They made their way through the trees, Evan stepped a bit closer and whispered, "DG, are you really alright?"

She glanced over at him, "Yes, I'm fine. Actually better than I have been in a long tie, magically or otherwise."

Evan frowned slightly, "I thought you said your experience of magical exhaustion was a nasty one. That hardly was what you implied it to be."

"I don't know what that was, but it wasn't a drain. It kind of felt like it, but… I don't know…"

They made it to the tribute that would lead them to the Fields of the Papay and ultimately the Crack in the OZ. Cain seemed to be in his element again, because he was telling Glitch to remove his Longcoat gear in order to hide it in the brush. They covered them in leaves and sticks.

Cain turned away and glanced over at DG, "You ready, Kid?"

DG was staring off at the imposing figure of the Tower, and all the trouble it symbolized, "Yeah…"

DG turned to face the group, "That machine he was leading me through," DG indicated to her Tutor before continuing, "I found out that she is going to use that to destroy the OZ."

"Wait a second," Cain walked around Glitch to stand in front of the girl, "How do you know that?"

DG tried to stare unflinchingly into his ice blue eyes. She knew she was going to have to lie to him, and she didn't know if she was going to be able to do it, "I overheard a few Alchemists." She felt sick. She hated lying to him, like really lying. Saying she was fine when she wasn't and hiding innocent things from him were different. Now she felt like she was betraying him, despite this being a really small detail.

But she continued anyway, "They said that she needs the Emerald to make the machine work."

Glitch stepped forward, inventor's gleam in his eye, "That's interesting... How?"

But Tutor cut off any response DG may have come up with, "Folks, I suggest we keep moving."

Cain, who DG notice – and ignored – was studying her quite closely, spoke before actually looking at the man, "Sorry, pooch. But this is where we part company."

"Part?" Tutor said, slightly alarmed.

"With the Longcoats on our trail and the Mobats in the sky, I don't have time to figure out what's your angle in all of this," DG had to smirk. She had told him that he was supposed to 'wade out the shady characters' for her. Too bad she was going to have to rain on his parade. She could definitely see now why he thought she was being difficult. Oh well.

"My angle is her mother sent me to help," Toto tried to explain.

"And you did. I'd even thank you for what you did back there if I knew who you were. Or what," Cain added skeptically.

Glitch jumped up in front of him, ever the foil, "Whoa there, Mister Suspicious. This is the man… dog… _thingy_… that helped us escape."

"Shape Shifter," Raw threw in rather unhelpfully.

"Yes, Mister Raw," Tutor agreed, successfully losing Glitch's support.

"He knew your name…" He spun around to glower at the man, "How did you know his name?"

"I know all of your names," Tutor said calmly, "You're Mister Glitch, former advisor to the Queen herself. Mister Raw, a viewer of extraordinary skill," DG watched as her friend lit up at the praise before Tutor continued to Cain, with a bit of trepidation in his voice, "And you, Mister Cain, was a Tin Man on the Great and Terrible Mystic Man's protection detail," He motioned towards Evan, "You're all quite famous in the OZ… And quite in demand. Dead or alive"

He pulled out the new wanted poster. Instead of just DG's picture it had all four of theirs. _How odd. No Mystic Man. Maybe she doesn't want the resistance to know that he 'broke' free. Would make sense… _

"That's a terrible picture of me," Glitch threw out, while Evan came up behind DG, trying subtly to get her attention. She ignored him.

"Now, look," Tutor said plainly, in the way that told DG he was getting exasperated, "I'm sorry if I scared any of you back there, but there's never really a good time for the whole 'beast in to man' moment. You just WHAM, and hope for the best."

DG just sat idly listening to the conversation, when Cain turned back to look at her. They just stared at each other for a moment before Cain seemingly disregarded whatever silent argument they had been having – that DG completely missed, by the way – and regarded the man, "This little rag tag group is already big enough to have difficulties moving across the OZ effectively, and we still have no idea who you are."

Toto's brown eyes bore into hers, "But don't you?"

And he reached deep into his coat pocket and brought out her spinning doll that she had named, Marcy. She smiled at the toy, and held out her hand, "That's mine."

He nodded, "It was yours when you were a child."

DG smiled more and flattened her palm. Suddenly the doll went spinning, within Tutor's closed hand, and he released it with a jerk. It sailed effortlessly through the space between them, and gracefully landed in her hand, DG making it curtsy once it got there. Her smiled got even wider.

"Magic is in your blood," Toto said, with a bit of awe before continuing in a business like tone, "Let it shine light on your past so that you may better face your future."

DG cut him off before he could start harping on her to concentrate. She wasn't going to bother with struggling for her memories anymore, "Toto. You were our tutor."

"Before you were sent over to the Otherside, your mother put a spell on all of your memories, in case you were ever taken into the wrong hands."

"So I've been told," DG huffed, while she changed the training spell on the doll. The porcelain figure now fell seated on DG's hand, miming a huff of annoyance as her petty coats fluttered; much like DG wished she could do. Her magic was much more receptive to her commands now, the lilac colored magic much easier to control than the vapors had been.

"Well she sent me now to help you reawaken the memories you are going to need to find the Grey Gale and the Emerald of the Eclipse."

"Okay," DG said, attention still on the doll, trying to think of other things she could make it do.

"Hold on," Cain said, jumping on the fact that DG had given in on that very weak explanation far too easily, "How have you talked to the Queen if Azkadillia has her?"

The rest of the group turn its attention to this now glaring flaw, while Cain noticed that DG's attention was too fixated on the doll – which was doing cartwheels up the girl's arm – to be casual. Toto took a shaky breathe and said, "She came to me in a dream."

At Cain's narrowing stare, Tutor speed up his explanation, "But she is growing weaker and weaker. There is no time to waste."

Evan now gave up trying to warn the Princess and spoke up, "But the Queen told me to head south."

"Then that's exactly what we should do," Glitch perked up, "Don't you think Cain? South?" Then he began to try to figure out the direction, but DG beat him to it.

DG took a few steps the way she remembered them going, but didn't hear anyone following her. So she turned and headed back, "Come on, guys, let's go."

Again when no one moved, suspicion and tension running high, DG grabbed a hold of Glitch and Evan's coat sleeve and tugged them behind her. Raw followed promptly and eventually Cain was force to as well.

But he obviously felt that it was necessary to throw in a bit of pessimism, "Unfortunately, the only road to the south leads through the Fields of the Papay."

"Papay… Uggghhhh…." Raw rumbled.

* * *

><p>The group finally happened upon the Brick Route and was on their way to the Field of the Papay before Evan finally was able to get DG far enough away from the group.<p>

"Princess, did you feel the magic on the Master Tutor? As I'm sure you remember he does not have any substantial amounts of his own magic."

DG didn't look at him, focusing rather on Cain, who was straying a little too close for her to be comfortable to have this conversation. But he began moving faster again, tracking closer to Toto again, still not trusting him, "I know. I saw it. It's in his left jacket pocket."

"Saw it? Saw what?"

"Little recorder disks. About the size of a half dollar – err, platinum, whatever. Its Az's magic. Or part of it is. Some is the Witch's."

"Recorder disks?" Evan hissed, "You knew this, and yet you did protest his joining with us? He could be spying on us."

"Oh he's spying on us. Actually there is a Mobat following after us. And keep your voice down," DG said, still worried about everyone finding out far too soon.

Evan sputtered a little bit and DG just met his glare evenly, "Dorothigale! The Witch is going to be getting exact trackings on where we are. This can't – You don't – "

"Well, she would have done that anyway with your magic. What I don't understand is why she sent Toto also," DG mused.

"The spell she used on me, it would only work once. If he wasn't here, we'd be free to move to Finaqua and the Grey Gale."

"Well, either way, this is for the best. With those little pieces of information, the Sorceress is only following us, trying to get us to find the Emerald for her, instead of all out attacking us. We have time, and that's all we really need at this point," DG told him.

"But – " Evan tried to start up again, but DG saw Raw slowing down to meet them.

"I'm done talking about this," DG whispered quickly, before putting some distance between them.

But Raw followed. He seemed determined to talk to her, alone. So, she slowed up and allowed him to set a pace that would give them some space, "What's up, big guy?"

Raw grumbled warmly, giving her a small smile, "DG save brother and nephew. Raw must thank."

DG started, "Nephew?" She had practically corrupted the poor boy for three months and she had no idea that it was Raw's nephew. Well, now she felt bad.

"Yes. DG save brother and his son. Didn't have to. Thank you. Raw should have been there for family. Scared, ran," He looked down to his shuffling feet, seemingly very ashamed.

"Everyone gets scared, that's nothing to be ashamed of. And they are all right now. Everything worked out," DG told him, completely ignoring that fact that the advice was so much like what Wyatt had been telling her ever since she found out what she did to her sister.

But then DG realized something else. Raw shouldn't have known that she set them free. She didn't tell him, so he must have read it from her. And that was something she had been really worried about, she wasn't the best about masking her emotions. But so far, besides after they first 'met', everything had been fine.

"How did you know? That I got them out?" she asked, trying to down play her curiosity.

"Lilo sent me message. Telling about escape and forgiving Raw."

DG smiled, "See? It's all good."

"Lilo say because Raw sent help for them. Send Amolestatem Princess," brown eyes bore into hers and she tried not to squirm. She remembered the term from what the OZ had said. She wanted to ask, but something deep down stopped her.

"Raw doesn't know, Lilo great Seer. Raw trust DG. Will not ask, just thank."

"I… Um…," DG peered up at him, smiling sheepishly, "Thanks Raw."

He opened his arms wide, and DG was grateful for the hug.

* * *

><p>They made their way as quickly as they could. Soon they were crossing into Papay territory, and no one was very happy about it. Cain got wearier as they reached the orchards, and increasingly frustrated with the Kid. Once they got to the trees, she started wandering a bit, weaving and bouncing off various trees. If he couldn't get her to start goin' in a straight line, he was going to go insane and they would be in these fields all night.<p>

"Kid, if you don't get a move on, I am going to haul you over my shoulder and carry you out of these fields," he yelled over his shoulder, ignoring Glitch's snickers.

"I am moving, Cain. Don't get your holster in a twist and get off my case," DG shouted, reaching out to grab on to another tree.

He turned around to see her take off in another direction, starting a new diagonal. He clenched his jaw, "Can't you just walk in a straight line? There isn't anything to see out here for you to be wandering like that."

"I know…" DG said sadly, actually stopping for a second to take in her surroundings, "Everything is so dead."

"It didn't used to be like this," Glitch said, "I think…"

Cain took a deep breath as DG started moving again, straighter but still latching on to every tree she could reach. _Damn Royalty and their quirks, _"No, it wasn't. This used to be the some of the most fertile land in all of the OZ. Orchards, nurseries."

"Gotta love a good orchard," Glitch chimed in enthusiastically, "Full of succulent fruit for all the people to eat. Free too, if you're a good fence climber. Mind you, those scarecrows always kind of freaked me out."

"So what happened?" DG asked Cain, glad he wasn't yelling at her anymore and ignoring was she was doing.

"About fifteen annuals ago, all the crops died. Which then caused the Great Famine," Cain told her and she had to grimace. _Ah, so history repeats itself. _

Glitch started to slow down, going on about helping the people with doohickeys, and DG took the moment to grab a few more trees off the path Cain was setting, but had to hurry back.

"Papay once peaceful," Raw told DG.

"Yeah, well the only piece they want now is a piece of us," Glitch shouted from the back.

"Were farmers, now hunters," Raw continued, ignoring Glitch.

"No wonder. They're desperate, they don't have any food," DG said, feeling sorry for them. 'Animals' or not, they were her subjects and helped them out in a serious bind with the New Famine. She was hoping to help them out greatly this time around.

"Shhh…" Cain called over them, stopping the group, "Runner scouts… They are signaling to the others."

And suddenly a hunter party appeared a few yards in front of them. And they were off running. As they tried to get away, DG tried to at least brush her hand against anything they passed.

They were finally cornered and they were all cowering around a tree. DG watched as the hungry Papay drew closer and took a deep breath. She pushed away the fear and focus on the task at hand. She knelt down, placing one hand firmly on the dead tree next to her and dug her fingers down into dry soil.

Cain saw a blur of black go down out of the corner of his eye and felt the new presence next to his leg. He took risk, looking away from the predators, and down to the girl that he was fairly certain had mental issues. Her eyes were closed and her brow was furrowed in concentration. He was about to ask what she was doing when he saw a white light flare out from her and jet off the way they came.

He faintly heard Glitch ask why the Papay were bowing, as Cain turned to follow the light's progression and he was floored. The light DG had sent flared out and in the way that they had come a great number of the Bégar Navé Trees were restored, the Papay's fruit hanging plentiful and ripe from the branches.

Cain felt DG turn on her heels and slowly rise, appraising her handy work, and he hoped he wasn't the only one in awe, "That is one heck of a defense, Kid…"

The rest of the group praised her, but DG turned to Cain, smiling brightly at him, before he suggested that they removed themselves from between hungry Papay and their crops.

* * *

><p>The Witch was now launching a near constant attack on Az's consciousness. That was probably because Az was fighting her again, taking her sister's words to heart, the first hope she's had in years. But either way, it was painful and exhausting. For everyone involved.<p>

The only time that Azkadillia got any reprieve was when the Witch was too tired to continue and slept. Even then Az was too tired as well, and had to allow herself to sleep.

_Az awoke into a dark room. It wasn't the dark room she had gotten used to at the tower. No, she recognized this one. It was her room at Finaqua. It was similar to how she left if as a child, some of her mementos strewn around, some missing. _

_The curtains were drawn – hiding the cheery sunlight trying to fight past them - and Az could feel that she hadn't left the bed she found herself in for quite some time. And she had no conviction to change that fact. _

_That is until the bedroom door was unceremoniously wretched open. The sudden light blinded Az momentarily, and a voice drifted in her ears, "I understand the need to wallow, and I deeply feel that you out of anyone deserve it, but two weeks is a bit much. And that's just how long you've been lying in bed." _

_Az got her sight back and watched in amazement as her sister – her glorious, beautiful baby sister, dressed in trousers oddly enough – marched over to the window, throwing open the curtains, blinding Az yet again. _

_DG must had spun around again and made her way to the edge of the bed, because her voice was much closer when she said, "Well, come on. Up-and-at'em!" _

_Az continued to lay there, blinking up at the young woman. She just rolled her eyes and pushed her hands under Az's shoulder blades and heaved her into a sitting position before dragging her out of bed. Az knew she was being navigated towards her ill-used vanity table and seated, but she was far too confused to do or say anything. _

_She watched through the mirror as her sister inspected her Papay's nest hair, gathering it all in one hand, then tossing some over her shoulder, then all of it, only to pulling back behind her. _

_DG let it drop, putting her hands on her hips, "Yeah, that's going to have to go." _

_As DG reached for a pair of scissors Azkadillia knew where not in her room prior to her sister's entry, she realized what DG meant. Only then did Az realize she was not in control of her body or speech – or lack thereof, as it would be. She was only a spectator to what was playing out in her dream. _

_Her hands gathered up her hair and held it away from the sharp object in DG's hand, looking at DG's reflection, slightly afraid. _

_But her baby sister just smiled sweetly at her, "Come on Az. I have been cutting hair forever. I worked in our town's salon when I was 14. I learned from the best…. In the Layson County area… On the East side of Terrin… On Main Street. Anyway," she quickly smiled at Az's confusion, before continuing, rubbing a hand soothingly on her back, "Trust me. I promise you will feel better if you let me do it. Please…"_

_Az stared at her long and hard for a moment, before giving in. DG's eyes lit up, and she bent to give Az a small peck on her temple, "You are going to love this. I'm thinking a bob… No? How about pixie? " _

_The dream swirled away, and Az found herself, still with DG, but out on the Garden Lawn, eating a light lunch. Her head felt much lighter, and as she turned her head to the side, she realized why. The hair that used to travel down past her bottom was sweeping lightly against her shoulders. _

_DG's voice broke through her thoughts, "I'm glad I got you outside. You were starting to get deathly pale. And trust me, I know about pale." _

_She just watched her sister munch on a sandwich and chatter on, glad that someone had finally pulled her out of there. _

"_You know, you really need to stop holding yourself up in your room. At least sometimes. I mean, who is going to help me understand all this magic stuff," DG told her with big flailing hand gestures, "because Tutor makes about as much sense as a hungry Papay. Or a grumbling Tin Man." _

_Az let out a small giggle at the comment about her sister's faithful companion, and DG seemed to glow. Getting her to laugh must be quite the accomplishment. _

"_Of course, Cain says that if you are going to start actually walking around, we'll need to get you an annoying bodyguard. Of course that wasn't how he worded it. That was complements of yours truly." _

_DG must of caught Az's face of slight terror, because her face softened and she reached out to lay a hand on Az's, the glow of light starting up immediately, "Don't worry, we'll get you someone good. Someone you'll get along with. Promise." _

_Az relaxed, but only just. _

"_Maybe I could get Cain to talk Jeb into doing it," DG threw out, "He's pretty cool, once you get past the whole war-hardened-shell thing. Must be a Cain family thing." _

_Az glanced around, and then peered shyly at her sister, "I would like… It would be nice to start to have a normal life…" she said quietly, voice scratchy from ill-use. _

_DG smiled even brighter. _

She was awake two seconds before the Witch. It was enough for her to lock away the dream and force herself not to marvel at it and wonder what it meant.

* * *

><p>The group continued on there way, making it through the Papay Fields and to the overgrown forests on the other side. DG was moderately steady on her feet, until they reached the tangled mess of roots, low vines and bushes. Then it was just all thrown out the window.<p>

DG's foot caught on another root and her feet twisted out from under her, "Ahh!"

The Mystic Man was keeping close to her for this reason, and he caught her before her face could connect with the dirt and twigs. As Evan tried to maneuver her to her feet, Raw came up and lent a hand, "DG need rest. Cannot stand."

"I can too stand!" DG said indignantly, before grumbling, "It's the walking that is becoming an issue."

Raw just gave her a look, but kept his arm wrapped in hers to help her stay up right. Cain watched them as they worked to catch up, "The Furball is right, Kid. If you need to stop we can. We don't need you passing out again."

She just grimaced at him, but allowed herself to be seated on a log. She watched idly as everyone moved around, clearing away some debris, starting a fire, looking through DG's bag for food. Cain kept an eye on DG as he worked and noticed she was swaying slightly.

He sighed and walked over to her, shrugging out of his coat, "Stand up, Deeg."

She looked up at him curiously, "Didn't you just tell me to sit down?"

He tossed his duster out on the ground, "Yeah, well now I'm telling you to lay down."

DG raised her brows at him, biting the inside of her cheek to keep from saying something.

He caught the look, and interpreted it as indignation, "You are going to fall over sitting up. If you're going to black out anyway, might as well start on the ground."

"Alright," DG watched him carefully as she lay down on his duster. He made sure she was going to stay before turning back to the set up. DG smiled a little bit, trying to burrow deeper into the warm and Tin Man scented garment without looking too weird.

Giving it up, she just watched her friends bustle around until her stomach rumbled painfully. She groaned and propped herself up on her elbows, "Is there anything that I can snack on?"

Glitch picked up her bag and dug around before pulling out an apple, "Oooohhh… It's been forever since I've had a nice juicy apple."

He trotted over to her, "You can have it if you want."

"Nah, we don't have much food left and I can hear your stomach from here. We should have grabbed some of the Papay fruit."

DG took the red fruit, "I don't think they would appreciate that. Seeing as they just got them back."

DG went back to lying there quietly, eating her snack, and watching as everyone else started to relax a bit. It didn't take long for her to devour the fruit, and she started to doze.

Images swirled in DG's mind. Dark, bitter images…

…"_I believe that the Royal Family would like to know that The Grand Master Tutor was one of those who fought most valiantly"…_

…_they finally made it to the Royal Quarters to find their mother in her massive bed – completely still. DG quickly scrambled on top of the mattress and checked – no pulse... _

…_new tears tracked down the eldest sister's face, "Daddy! Daddy, please wake up! PLEASE!" …_

…"_Baby sister… What are we going to do?" …_

…"_Don't worry, Sweetheart, he'll catch up with us," Cain's reassurances were cut off by a deafening gun shot, "Glitch? GLITCH!"…_

…_the Royal Couple began to glow brighter, Jeb's pain filled shouts mixing with Az's screams…_

…_before DG could say anything, Raw took the knife to his own skin…_

…"_Run! DG, go!" Cain called to her…_

* * *

><p>Cain surveyed the people around him, looking away briefly from DG's sleeping form. Everyone was just generally relaxed, forgetting that they were running for their lives and trying to save the OZ from tyranny.<p>

He returned to watching DG, glad that she was finally sleeping. He knew that she would just doze for an hour at night before lying awake trying not to disturb anyone. He knew but had absolutely no idea what to say or do about it. Or, if it was even his place. He was avoiding sleep, nearly at all costs, and he didn't favor himself a hypocrite.

He was the first to notice when her demeanor changed, when she drifted into the land of dreams. She started frowning, brow furrowing. She twitch in her sleep and started mumbling, catching the others attention.

"Is she okay?" Glitch asked, sitting up.

"Sleep. Nightmare?" Raw asked.

"Should we wake her?" Glitch asked concerned.

"No," Tutor said over them, earning Cain's glare, "As her memories resurface they may come back as dreams. She needs to access them uninterrupted."

The group fell silent and went back to watching he struggle against her demons, willing themselves no to do anything. Eventually she jolted out of its grips, sitting forward quickly. Cain saw the terrified faraway look in her eyes, her jaw clenched and muscles locked down, and Cain knew it was out of sheer force of will that she didn't react more.

"You okay?" the question slipped out without his bidding.

Her head whipped around and he could tell that she was coming back to reality, "Yeah…"

"Looked like you were having a nightmare. A bad one," Glitch said worriedly.

"DG dream of Azkadillia?" Raw asked.

DG swallowed hard against the bile that had risen up in her throat, "Yeah…" In a manner of speaking... But that wasn't important right now, "She told me once that we were friends when we were little, but now…"

"Maybe your dreams are trying to tell you something," Toto suggested.

DG hummed and tried to push herself off the forest floor. She rolled her shoulders and tried to loosen her muscles, still lost in her own head.

"Deeg..." Cain prompted when she continued just to stare off in space, "What did you dream about?"

"Hmmm… Just more about Finaqua…" she answered distractedly before turning to face the group, "I guess that means we should get a move on."

"We still need to know which lake," Evan said, standing.

"DG know which lake," Raw rumbled.

"Yes, because you've been there before, as a little girl," Glitch told her soothingly.

She nodded slowly, "I think I can lead us there…"

"Well," Cain grunted as he stood up, gathering and putting on his duster, "To get to Lake Country, we are going to have to cut across the Crack in the OZ…. This ain't going to be easy."

* * *

><p>It was late afternoon or early evening when they made it to the hill overlooking the Crack and bridge. DG couldn't help but be amazed at the sight, and slightly afraid about how far she could fall.<p>

"They won't be putting a zipper on that gaper," Glitch said half in awe, half in concern.

Like before, there were at least thirty Longcoats patrolling the area. And Raw pointed it out, "Longcoats everywhere."

"Yeah… We're not getting past them in broad daylight," Cain said.

'The Eclipse is almost upon us. We don't have any time to waste."

DG could practically hear the Tin Man rolling his eyes at the shape shifter, "Look, quick and dead might be okay with you, dog man, but I'll take slow and breathing any time. Even then… We are going to need some help."

Raw touched DG's shoulder and pointed out over the horizon, "Cabin."

"Probably full of Longcoats," Glitch said negatively.

"No, look at the smoke," Cain said, getting excited. Well, DG was probably the only one that could hear it in his voice.

"So? They lit a fire. Longcoats get could too."

"It's blue," Cain deadpanned, like they should have known what it meant – despite the fact that DG actually did (and time travel doesn't count in this case) – before continuing, "Come on."

It took them about an hour and a half to make it down the hill and all the way over to the homestead. They approached the home slowly, until they heard the cocking of a gun.

"State your business," the man called out as his wife followed suit and appeared from around the corner.

"We mean you no harm. We are travelers of the realms," Cain said in a smooth sure voice, "Searching for a warm meal and a cold cup of grog."

"Food is scarce this time of year and the grog has long since been seized."

"Then we will leave you in peace," Cain began to speak carefully now, "May your hearth be warm."

The man, Rolf if DG remembered correctly, watched Cain carefully, lowering his gun slightly, "And your smoke be blue... Come in. Quickly."

They were shuffled inside and the door slammed behind them.

"I'm Rolf, and this is my wife, Loraine."

"Put your gun on the table," The woman said harshly.

The room was still for a moment, before Rolf straightened up, "They're friends, Loraine."

"No such thing anymore."

"It's okay…" Cain said, taking control of the situation again, slowly taking out his pistol and lying it down, "We just need shelter, until it's safe to cross."

"It's never safe to cross. But the cover of night will help. Until then, sit, rest," Rolf offered them a tight smile as he went over to stand next to his still agitated wife, as they moved to sit.

The cabinet under the stairs suddenly creaked open and Loraine slammed it shut, "Get back in there!"

"Please…" Rolf said softly, "Let us show some trust…" DG realized she really like this man. They needed more people like him in the OZ, willing to help others out. If they did perhaps a lot of this mess could have been or will be avoided.

"It's alright children. Come on out," A little boy and his adolescent sister cautiously made their way into the room.

"Hey there," DG greeted them brightly, trying to put them at ease. But it didn't work.

An awkward silence settled over them. Glitch finally broke it, "Is anyone hungry but me?"

Rolf brightened slightly at the purpose laid before them, "Yes, we'll eat. Children, help your mother."

Loraine looked over at him, alarmed and slightly resistant. Rolf just stared back at her, "Please. My Love."

Finally she gave in, taking the children with her into the other room.

Rolf looked over at them, "Please forgive my wife. We have lived in fear for too long."

DG felt that that thought summed up the feeling for every person in the OZ.

* * *

><p>They sat down to dinner and got right to business, "What news from the Resistance in the East?"<p>

Cain moved away from the window he had been looking through to check on the visibility, "We were hoping you'd tell us."

"What do you know about the machine Azkadillia is building?" DG asked, sipping her cup of tea.

"Only rumors," Rolf told her regretfully, "We helped a captain from the Lowlands. All he said was that Azkadillia was pushing the miners and metalworkers, 'til they dropped."

"What mine?" Cain asked.

"Some mine in the Black Mountains."

"Moritatinum," Glitch called out, "Ugh… Big M, little T. Number 216 in the Ozian Periodic Table. Haha… School days. I remember this lovely lass name Leonna – "

"Moritatinum," DG called, refocusing him, "What's it for?"

Glitch went into a bit of a daze, "Besides its strength, Moritatinum is valued for its ability to conduct magical energy."

"So if she gets a hold of the Emerald, she can focus the power however she wants," Evan said, staring directly at DG.

"Not if we get to it first," Tutor said.

"So it's a weapon?" Cain asked, ever the military man.

"No, it's a Sun Seeder," Glitch called.

DG was ready with the punch, "What's a Sun Seeder?"

Glitch cocked his head, "I don't know. But it sounds cool."

You could see when the thought flitted across his scattered brain, "Oh wait… I think that I invented it…"

"What's it used for?" DG asked calmly.

"I… I can't remember… I can't remember," Glitch said, getting frustrated with himself.

"Can you get the memory out, like you did DG?" Cain asked the Mystic Man, but Raw cut him off.

"Raw feel memory. Lost in brain. Raw can find."

"Alright," DG said, "Let's do it."

As DG pushed away from the table, DG planted her hands firmly against the thick wood and did the only thing she could think of to thank this family that had helped them twice now. She fused her magic deep within the wood, blessing them.

Az had been completely astonished when she figured out what her sister was able to do. Apparently, Blessings had been thought be a magical art that long since passed from the Royals. Long ago, the reigning Queen and her magically matured daughters were able to form their magic to be long lasting and be able to change situations or cause things to happen. The Queen may bless a field and it would have plentiful yields for decades. A hospital would have a drastically decreased mortality rates. But they had to be done sparingly, because it took ridiculous amounts of magic and if the Queen wasn't careful the drain it would cause would kill her.

Over the years, the line of Queens seemed to wither not have enough power, or lost the knowledge of how to form a blessing. The rituals and speeches still took place at the opening of a new hospital or school, but it was more words of hope for good fortune than insurance.

Az had figure out what DG had done with they had gotten word of the Papay trees coming back to life on their own. As it turned out, DG hadn't just healed the one tree she had blessed the field and soil, allowing it to be restored. And she hadn't had any problem with a particularly awful drain. After they had figured that out, Cain and Az had made sure that it was DG who was sent out to heal the Fields.

But it as something the sister's felt they needed to hide. They only ever told Cain and Jeb. There worry was that if the people found out they would revolt to have DG on the throne and the Emerald had decided that Az was going to be the next Queen. They decided that DG would always stay close and keep with the blessings and they'd just hope that AZ's heir would also have the gift. Unfortunately as the magic of the OZ got weirder and weirder, DG's blessings seemed to get less effective.

But currently, it seemed to be working just fine. When having to make herself give a blessing – versus just doing it on the fly – DG had to envision herself building a box. She laid the framework for the spell, allowing for plentiful food, that whatever they had would fill them. She also laid a protection and peace intent, before allowing her magic to fill the 'box' she created.

She moved away from the table and back to the task at hand. With Loraine's help, they were able to find the candles and things that Raw need to get into his mediations. DG settled Glitch into one of the chairs by the fireplace.

But it was obvious that he was getting nervous, "Uuhhh… I'm not so sure about this…"

DG kneeled next to him, "Glitch, if Azkadillia is building a machine that you designed, you might be the key to stop it."

"I'm talking about Fluffy, diving into my cranium. Invasion of my privacy and all."

Raw just hummed, ignoring him, "Dark Day…"

He reached out and put a gloved hand on the mirror on the mantle and it came to life.

_Glitch was running through a field, panicked and already zippered. The image rewound and they saw the Advisor walking though the gardens of Finaqua. He came upon the weakened Queen and knelt beside her. _

"_Your Majesty, I bring bad news. The Princess Azkadillia has seized Central City," he said, eyes shifting from the grass and is Queen. _

"_Have our men pull back, set up positions to the South."_

_The Advisor let out an anguished breathe, "What?" _

"_The Fourth Brigade has fallen. General Lonant had defected."_

_The Queen finally looked over at him, defeat and hopelessness flickering in her eyes for a moment, "He was our most loyal friend." _

"_I'm so sorry… There is no other law than Azkadillia's," Glitch smiled briefly before leaning in to whisper eagerly, "She tried to steal the plans for the Sun Seeder, but I was able to destroy the blueprints."_

_She reached out and grabbed on to his forearm, "She will come after you Ambrose." _

_He nodded, almost accepting his fate before asking, "Is there nothing you can do, Your Majesty?" _

"_It's too late… The darkness is too deeply rooted in her." _

"_But your light. You are the most powerful being in all of the OZ." _

"_Was, old friend. I gave my power and my light to save someone every special… My Angel…" The Queen barely whispered, before The Witch appeared in the memory. _

_Glitch stood and tried to chastise her, but his voice shook, "Show some respect!" _

"_The Queen's reign ends today," the cocky voice floated through. _

_The Queen stood and got directly in front of the Witch, "Do you have any idea what you are doing?" _

_The Witch tried to pull out a wide-eyed innocent look, "I do… You need a long rest mother. Take her away." _

_She moved in front of Ambrose, "If you won't tell me what you know… I guess that I will have to reach in and take it myself." _

_Suddenly he was strapped to a table with the Alchemist above him, "Remove the brain slowly…" _

"_No… Please… It won't work." _

"_Count back from one hundred…" _

"_Please…" _

"_99… 98… 97... 96… "_

The image pulled away and Glitch and Raw were free. Glitch was breathing heavily, looking around trying to get his bearings, "The name's Glitch! Have we… Meet…"

He faded off as DG got closer and he recognized the faces. Solemn as they were.

"Are you okay?" He asked DG with a small smile.

"Yes, Glitch. I'm fine," she sounded incredulous as she tried to hold back her tears.

"What? Is my machine so bad?"

"No," Cain told him, still in shock at what the 'Headcase' had done, "But whatever it is, you sure sacrificed a lot to stop Azkadillia."

"That's why she had to go straight to the source," DG gave in and went to hold on tight to one of her best friends.

"Ohh… I guess it wasn't the biggest sacrifice I made for science."

DG laughed watery at the morbid joke, "Well, it sure is up there."

Tutor spoke up, "The time to go is now. Its full dark and the moons have yet to rise."

Everyone get moving and ready to go, but DG needed a minute as they headed out the door.

But of course Cain found her. She could almost hear him struggling with how to deal with her tears, "You okay?"

She started to nod her head, but ended up saying, "No… I've done so much wrong… It's all my fault…"

"How is any of this your fault?" DG had forgotten that he did know about the cave. _Not yet._

"People gave up so much for me, mother her magic, Glitch his brain, and so much more... And yet I keep failing everybody…."

They were quiet for a second while DG tried to smother her sobs and Cain gathered his thoughts, "You know, Kid, sometimes in life there are just some things that are out of our control…." DG let out a sigh. She knew that he was just trying to help her, by telling her that she needed to let go of this guilt – like he had been for months – but considering her situation, it was not something she really wanted to hear. She was already beginning to seriously doubt what she was doing. She knew that she wanted to make everything better, but could she really change anything by herself? Yes, she saved the Mystic Man, but he hadn't been much help yet. They – or she – had still gotten captured and the Witch knows about the Grey Gale. So many things were staying too much the same that she wasn't sure she could win a fight against time.

"But we need you," the Tin Man just kept on talking, bring her back to the moment at hand. He turned her around and held on to her shoulders, "You've got to let it go."

DG tried not to laugh, when she had told him the same thing, repeatedly. They were quite the pair, weren't they?

Cain urged her to get a move on and when she walked around him she saw the Mystic Man watching them, eyebrow raised. She threw him a look that clearly said _Shut it._ She took a step forward only to realize Cain wasn't following. She gasped softly when she saw him inspecting a small wooden horse.

"Where did you get this?" He asked quietly.

"We should go," Rolf was barely paying any attention.

"Where did you get this?" Cain repeated in a hard voice, catching everyone's attention.

Rolf stood up straighter before speaking cautiously, "A resistance fighter made it for my son. He came through a few months ago with his mother… I think their names were…"

"Jeb and Adora. My family… They really are alive."

DG's eyes flew open. How did he know that? They hadn't seen Zero this time around, at least he hadn't. There was no way for him to have thought that his family might be alive. For the first time, DG seriously started to wonder what was going on in her life.

* * *

><p><strong>Wow… Long chapter and that's not even all I had wanted to get in here. I actually had to cut this in half. I had wanted to get them to Finaqua and maybe even include the events from that part. I had also thought that the DGCain confrontation everyone seems to be so eager for was going to be here. Turns out I had the order of events a bit mixed up. But it's coming. Probably in the next chapter, at most the chapter after that. This is going to fun. Hehehe… **

**But I've been outlining and trying to plan what is going to happen after we finished with the show, and I've gotta say that this may never end. I have so much stuff I want to do and need to get in there… And I have no destination. Oh well… I guess I'm just along for the ride. **

**I again want to thank all the people that have alerted, favorite and review. I love when you tell me what you guys want to see, what you think is going to happen or what you are worried about. It makes me have to think about what is coming and know that people actually likes this story. That makes me want to write more and get the next chapter out faster. So, I LOVE YOU ALL! **

**Don't forget to review and tell me what you liked, loved and could ahve done without! See ya'll next time**

**Next Chapter: Finaqua (I promise this time) **


	11. Chapter 10: Finaqua

**I'm not even going to try and explain why this is so late…. Actually it's kind of pathetic… **

**Anyway. Go one. Read. Enjoy the chapter. Also see the end note for a contest. Sorta. More like a request with a winner. **

**Also a shout out to blaufeuer! Further thanks are at the end. **

**Disclaimer: I'm tired… and don't have anything witty to say. I know shocking right? So, you all know the drill. **

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><p>Chapter 10: Finaqua<p>

"Quickly, help me with this. We hide it the best we can."

It hadn't taken them long to traverse from the house to where they would be crossing the Crack. Together they all cleared away the 'debris' and tree limbs revealing a zip line. _Ugggghhhh…. This is going to be fun…_

Once they finished, Rolf turned to Cain, "Your family crossed this same line, friend. Said they were headed to an old cabin about three spans on the other side, tucked behind a giant white elm, the only one there."

"Thank you," Cain said. DG noticed than he had less of a smile that she would have expected. She supposed that was a good thing. Don't let him get his hopes to far up, so that the fall down isn't so bad.

"We should thank you," Rolf said taking his hand.

They all scampered up the rickety ladder and steeled their nerves for their moment in the sky.

* * *

><p>They walked through most of the night, time getting short. They began to see small ponds frequenting the plains – the start of Lake Country – when DG noticed they started to take less of a straight forward route. It took an hour or two before the others notice as well.<p>

"Where are we headed?" Toto asked, quite winded.

But Cain ignored him until he found what he was looking for. The White Elm, "There. That's where my family made their new home."

Then he took off. Much to Tutor's chagrin, "I don't really think there's time for this…"

DG let out a deep sigh, eyes following the Tin Man before looking at her teacher, "He's always made time for us."

She started the slow trek across the grass field, and heard the others following silently, over Cain's shouts. She could tell when he reached his destination because the woods became deathly quiet. DG felt like it was paying homage to the sadness it held for him.

She felt someone creep up behind her. "DG…" Evan barely breathe as if in question.

She sighed again, "This isn't going to be fun," she told him quickly, before picking up the pace.

They made it through the bramble just as Cain was further inspecting the Iron Maiden left there. DG could feel his relief of not find his son still in there. It was thick in the air. But then he noticed something over the shoulder of the suit, closer to the house.

He made his way over, beginning to stumble when he realized what it was. He knelt down besides his late wife. He reached out to touch the engraved wood plank as the skies began to drizzle on them. The group took refuge under the cabin awning as Cain took out his badge and left it with was what left of his life before the suit.

DG finally had enough and approached Wyatt. He kept staring at the wet wood as DG hesitantly placed a hand on his shoulder. He surprised her, by reaching across and placing his hand atop of hers.

"We can take a minute if you'd like," she said softly. His hand tensed before pulling away. He jerked a nod, rising quickly to his feet, and walked away. She figured he needed a minute to walk it off. She sighed, look down at the grave before kneeling. She heard the murmurs as she started to clear away the twigs and weeds and ignored everything.

* * *

><p>Cain stalked off, into the safety of the trees, trying to figure out what was going on in his head. He was troubled, deep in his being, about what he was feeling. Or lack of what he was feeling, as it was.<p>

Finding his wife's grave should have been harder on him. After eight years of believing she and their son was dead, only to have some sort of premonition and find out they are alive. He should have been crushed. But he wasn't. Yes he was sad, the finalization that that part of his life was over, never to come back. But he wasn't experiencing that crushing depression one expects when finding that their life long partner is dead, let alone murdered. He just felt like he was revisiting the emotion.

And that was another thing. When he saw that horse, and was told that they had come through a few months past, all his thoughts had been on his son and a small voice in the back of his mind – that he was less than willing to admit was starting to sound like the Kid – was like, _Yeah, and? _This didn't feel like it was new, and he couldn't explain it.

He had taken a turn around the cabin's perimeter faster than he had thought, lost in his thoughts. He was shocked by what he found when he came back around. The Kid was on her hands and knees in the dirt next to Adora's grave, stretched over it, wrestling with a particularly stubborn root. Her jacket was strewn on the ground behind her, mud smeared on her face where she must have brushed her hair out of her face.

Cain was done ignoring whatever going on in his head. It wasn't going away, anyhow. He didn't know how, but in four days that slip of a girl had endeared herself to him, seemingly without her actually doing anything. She did the strangest things, was outspoken, but kind, as evidence by her attempt to upkeep _his _wife's grave. Actually, it warmed him and made him feel better that she cared enough to try to take care of him.

And it scared the hell out of him. He had no idea what was going on, and that didn't sit well with him. Before the suit, Cain liked to be in control. Being the eldest of four, his mother had always said that he just naturally had an alpha personality. But no matter, after living eight years completely helpless in the worst possible way, it had only gotten worse. DG had been breaking through it, with her irrational decisions. But that didn't mean that it wasn't grating on his nerves.

He steeled himself as he watched the Princess held her hand flat over the place that he left his badge. A small pulse of white magic left her hand, and floated down until it was two inches above the metal pin. It began to stretch itself out into a sheer sheet. It spread out over the wooden marker and top of the gravesite, creating a dome of protection. When it finished, Cain figured it was time to move on.

He broke through the tree line, clearing his throat, "Alright we should head out."

DG shot up, startled by his sudden appearance, "Okay." She trotted after him, as he pushed through the foliage back out to the grasslands, trying to wipe off some of the mud.

* * *

><p>They travelled hard for the rest of the day, until they came upon the fork in the road that would lead to Finaqua.<p>

"Which way now?" Glitch said, sounding depressed.

"Well, both ways head south," Cain said, turning to look at DG.

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She really had to dig into her protected memories. She used her magic to try to peel back the lavender curtains, but it was difficult. She hadn't been trying to get at them yet for they were at full 'power'.

"Your mother said you're memories would guide you, DG. Let them," Tutor reminded her.

"I know," she said, eyes still closed.

She pushed farther in and started to sway to the right, before she finally broke through the memory. She quickly spun around and chose the other road. The men followed her, but she hadn't noticed Glitch had run ahead of her in the wrong direction. She didn't even notice when Raw began to back track. She only realized what was about to happen when her furry friend spoke.

"Glitch! Come," she spun around so fast she nearly collided with Wyatt and Evan.

"Hey what's that?" Glitch said, beginning to bend down.

"No!" Toto shouted, just at the Mobat screeched. It started to dive at Glitch, but Cain already had his gun out and ready to go. It only took two shots to take the creature down.

"That little beasty just came out of nowhere," Glitch said, getting up and dusting off from where he had fallen.

"Why did it attack now?" Evan asked, eying the back of Tutor's have and giving DG a pretty good version of her high school Algebra teacher's stink eye.

"Probably a random hit," Cain said, nudging the animal with the barrel of his pistol, "But it's dead now."

"Great. Then we should just move along, like it never even happened."

Everyone turned to face the shape shifter. With everyone's attention so _efficiently _distracted, DG allowed herself a facepalm. _This man just wants to be found out. I mean come on. _

"Never happened?" Cain stood and moved to stand in front of the idiot, "Once Az finds out this one is gone, she's going to have Longcoats crawling all over the Zone looking for it.

"All the more reason to get moving," Tutor said with a simple shrug.

"You okay? You're sweating up a storm," Cain said, easily suspicious of the guilty man.

But DG had to step in. She really didn't want to deal with Tutor getting caught and now more than ever they needed space between them and the Witch, "Cain is right, Longcoats are going to out in droves. I know when my bunny died when I was seven I knew exactly when it happened, and this place is more magically than the middle of nowhere Kansas. Az will know. So we need to find Finaqua and get a move on."

Cain turned to stare ever hard and a little bit angry. So she figured it was time to run off and miraculously find the maze.

* * *

><p>Az was surprised. She had long since believed that the Witch didn't feel real emotions. Only sick twisted versions of the real things. But this was strange.<p>

She was… Almost sad, by Zora's death. Mournful. But to be mournful, you had to have first cared about the thing in question, and the Witch had no sense of that in her at all. She couldn't even take the tiny bit Az had left, she just couldn't understand it. But she had all alone in that cave with nothing but her pack of Mobats, so it made sense that she had grown attached to them…

This was an unbelievable thing to Az, something that made the Witch just the least bit human… Because she was. Human. At least at one point she had been.

And that lead Az to another question.

_What, in all of Glinda's Green Land, could twist a person's soul so much for them to be like this…_

* * *

><p>DG pushed forward with no small amount of trepidation about what was to come. But they had to. You had to make it through midnight to see the dawn. But this was DG's blackest midnight. And for a night owl that was saying something.<p>

She heard her friend's calling for her to slow down, or stop, but she only ran faster, wanting to be done and restore her childhood home. She came out to sit on the old swing, think about all the times she sat there with her mother as a child, lost in her own thoughts at night after the Eclipse, or the time she found Jeb and Az asleep there. The last memory brought a faint smile to her face as she heard her friends enter the wooded grove and approach her.

Glitch sighed, "Finaqua… Magical Water… Not so sure what the translation is now…."

DG looked down to her boots, sighing and giving a small kick to get the swing going again, "This place used to be paradise…"

"Not paradise now," Raw growled softly.

Cain hummed, looking around at the half dead trees, "It was one of the first places Az scorched when she came to power."

"She sure didn't leave much," Tutor said.

"No, I'm afraid she didn't…" Evan stealing a glance at DG, hoping she knew how to find her mother's message in this mess.

Slowly, old charred wood creaking and rusted chains clanking, DG stood up from the swing and started down the hidden path, overflowing with debris.

As she got farther away, she could barely hear the crunching of twigs and leaves as someone tried to follow.

A faint murmur reached her ears, "Wait guys…. Let her do this alone."

DG closed her eyes, against the tears burning behind her lids, but kept walking. She just hoped that someone wouldn't listen to Toto. She really _didn't_ want to do this alone.

* * *

><p>Cain shifted his weight, watching as DG walked away. His brain said that following the mutt's instruction may be a good idea – in this case. There was something in his voice that told him that the man knew what was coming and it was something DG wouldn't want them to see. But he was feeling something else entirely.<p>

Something had settled very unpleasantly in the pit of his stomach at the thought of her going off on her own. And it wasn't normal kind, like a Longcoat was going to get her. He wasn't worried about her physical safety at the moment. He very well knew that there was going to nothing here. Finaqua was dead, and was going to be dead for a very long time to come. But as he watch each step she took become slightly stiffer and stiffer, something in his being – his hear – was yelling at him, through all the logic he tried to smother on top of it, that she needed someone to be there with her. That she could stand this alone.

_She was there for you…_

He wasn't currently the happiest with her right now, but most of that was his own fault. His head was in a weird place, which was only natural after so long in that… But he didn't need to be taking it out on her. And she wasn't hiding. She was just young – at least eighteen annuals and no more than twenty – , impulsive – he's never been good with impulsive -, emotional and being sent searching around a home that wasn't really her home to solve problems that weren't hers for parents she didn't know.

_And she was there for you… _

He took small quiet steps forward, as she started to round the bend in the path. Toto reached out for him, but he just shook him off with a gruff response, "Can't let her get too far away. Who knows what's lurking in these woods after so long."

Thankfully, no one appeared to see through his bullshit and blatant denial.

* * *

><p>DG stood statue still at the opening of the cave. She hadn't ever gone back here in the previous time, despite the fact that – miraculously – Az had, once. With Raw's help, Az had been able to lay to rest most of the terrors that she had associated with the Finaqua Palace in that trip, and was able to live there, relatively happy.<p>

DG was never so strong. She could stay in the soothing palace and be by the waterfront just fine, but she stayed clear of any of the forests. Her nightly nightmares were enough, thank you all the same.

She also didn't want to take the extensively horrid walk down memory lane she had to last time, but it was too hard to keep the memories back.

Her sister's young, unbroken voice rang through her mind, sounding as if she was practically begging her to stay away from the dark depths. To listen to her, to their mother and stay close.

She was broken from the memories by the faintest rustling of stiff clothe, magnified by her own terror. Only the Tin Man could be that quiet in such a dense forest. She wanted to smile, but any movement of her facial features and she was sure she would start sobbing uncontrollable. So she just put one foot in front of the other and moved ahead…

_That strange cry… Just wanting to help… _

"_We should go get mom and dad." _

_A cave, pitch black… But not so frightening…_

"_You adventures have a way of getting me into trouble." A shaky voice… _

DG began to lose control as she shook, tear flowing freely now, "I'm sorry…. So sorry," she said into the space, barely above a broken whisper.

_The Cave wasn't so dark now…_

_Great battles… Dark versus Light. Evil Witch. _Turn back! Turn back now!

_A dead end changing into a face._

_A voice only I hear…_

"_Please… Don't leave me alone… Let go..."_

"_Don't let go." _

DG fell to her knees. She knew everyone was there, hearing her watching her, and watching the memories. She heard Raw's whimpers, but she was helpless to the images and emotions that she was projecting. She was having a hard enough time to keep breathing, let alone high brain function such as magic control. They were in for this ride as long as she was.

She wrapped her arms tight around her chest, sealing her eyes, so she would have to see the terror on her lovely sister's face when she finally failed her.

"_We have to stay together." _

_It was finally too much. _

_Az's screams… The horrid Mobats screeches. The Witch's triumphant crackle. _

"_AZ!" _

DG rocked trying to push away the pain, the memories, the sounds, "I'm sorry! Please! I'm sorry! It's all my fault! I should have let go! Az, I'm sorry!" She just collapsed into tears as words fail to describe what she felt.

She barely even noticed Cain kneel down beside her and talk to her.

"Come on, Kiddo," Cain watch the grieving Princess press a hand to her ear, trying to stop the screams of the eleven-annual-old Crown Princess from reaching her, "Let's get some fresh air and see if that calms everything down."

He was surprised that she was able to recognize and process his words, but she leaned towards him slightly, still crying but silently asking for help to stand up. He lifted her up, and set her on shaky legs, keeping one arm around her. She turned her face into his side and gripped his duster with one small hand, still shaking violently, as they moved through the long cave and back out into the brighter forest.

* * *

><p>DG sat on a log twisting a small twig around her finger, staring out into the forest. She had finally gotten all her emotions under control and threw them back into the tiny box she was keeping them for the time being. <em>There is too much I need to get done for me to be weepy. I'll deal with all that later. <em>

She heard Cain moved down closer to her, and she had to bite back a sigh. After he had gotten her out of the cave and where she was breathing normally, he left her to deal with her demons on her own time. And she was grateful for that. Under normal circumstances she wouldn't mind too much crying it out in front of Cain and talking to him about it. But this wasn't normal circumstances. She had never so completely broken down in front of him before. Nor was he really _her _Cain. He was still Cain, but this man had only known her for… what? Two days? Maybe three? And was already starting to get deeply suspicious of her. She could see it. She knew her acting was piss poor, and if anything, would just start ticking him off more. They were bound to find out about this, she knew it, and she had been in denial to think that she'd be able to hide it this long. So she figured, while she wasn't got to come straight put and lay her cards out on the table like she would have before, she wasn't going to pretend to be something she wasn't anymore.

No, because the best friend she had traveled around the Realm, lived in various overly flamboyant palaces for a year with, had died with, wasn't here yet. But she hoped that he will be. And DG was okay with that, as long as she got longer than a year.

What she wasn't so okay with right now, was going to have to face Cain – or anyone else – after that little episode. But he still came.

"Hey… You still in that cave?"

"I just feel so bad that I lead her in there," an understatement if there ever was one, but putting feelings into words generally were.

"You can't blame yourself," Cain said as he worked himself over closer. DG couldn't help roll her eyes. They pair of them were like a twisted broken record.

"It's because of me that the Witch got out," DG said, getting up and walking away from him, both wanting his comfort and not at the same time.

"Look, you were just a kid –"

"And I ran," It was strange. Part of her knew that he was right, that they were all right and this wasn't her fault. She was just a frightened child and ran to her mother, not thinking. How was she supposed to know what would have happened. And she was on the verge of believing it, forgiving herself and moving on. But another of her almost seemed to want to be blamed.

Maybe she did. If someone blamed her, said that this was her fault and she needed to fix it – all of it – than she'd have a better chance. If this was truly a way of atoning for her mistakes, she could save the OZ and her family.

"You're not running now, are ya?" DG's eyes narrowed at the question. _Damn him and always knowing what to say._

DG growled slightly, before straightening her back and trying not to stomp as she walked away.

The pair joined up with the rest of the group and DG spoke to Evan before anyone could ask if she was alright, "Alright, so what next, oh Wise One?"

Evan watched the girl for a moment, bewildered before speaking, "Well, I'm not sure. I was to lead you here to hear your mother's message. And if… that… was all that was the Queen had to tell you, I am at a lost as to our next step."

Glitch cocked his head, the loose gear clearly turning, "Didn't you say she had to find a message about her future and her past? That was what happened… And maybe there is another about what we are supposed to do."

DG smiled widely at him, "Then I just need to find my mother's message!"

"Where?" Raw asked.

"Here, in Finaqua," DG said already running off to find the pile of rocks she and Az had built.

She ran stumbling back over to the swing, which had at one point been by the shore. Turning, she tried to remember, envision how far they had gone. Mother _had _told them to stay close, so it wouldn't be far. She decided to just give it up to fate and choose a direction.

As she turned to pick her way through the trees, she heard Glitch speak, "How is she going to find anything now? The palace, the lake are gone. Azkadillia's torched the place –"

"Shhh…." Cain interrupted, "Quiet, Glitch."

She finally got a glimpse of the memory, and ran off to collect the perfect stone. She pulled away the twigs and rocks, grabbing it with a wide smile. Standing up and moving quickly back towards the group, DG noticed Evan's hungry look. If she didn't know what it was about, she would have been fairly freaked out. He wanted to see how she did this. He was going to be fairly disappointed.

But she was going to have fun with it. It's been to long since she had some fun. So as she passed him, she waved the rock at him, looking too much like the cat that got the canary, whispering, "Oh, you are going to love this."

What she didn't realize was the she was overheard by an overly sensitive Tin Man.

She scampered over to where the shore once had been, bringing the stone to her lips, whispering, "I know this is the perfect day," before kissing it and pushing as much of her ever growing magical reserves into the minerals as she could handle. Closing her eyes and envisioning the open, sweeping halls and pastel colors, she reared her arm back and skipped the stone for all she was worth.

When the rock first came in contact with ground, instead of stopping with a thud, white magic tendrils furled up where it hit, creating ripples on the forest floor. Quickly, it continued, making it feet, yards, then a mile across from them, bringing back water and grass, and making the trees vanish back into the proper forests.

Everyone looked around astonished at the relatively sudden transformation. DG chanced a glance, smirk and wink back at Evan, before running up to the gazebo. Cain narrowed his eyes, glancing between his old friend and this Princess that brought with her a lot of surprises, before following the group after her.

DG stopped in front of the image of her mother; clearly recorded the same day – if not afternoon – she had been killed.

"DG, if you are seeing this message, you have overcome much on your journey to find the Emerald. The Emerald of the Eclipse contains the power to bring either Light or Darkness to the OZ. As you now know the Evil Witch of the Dark lives inside your sister. That is why she knows not of my plan. And why I could only entrust the Emerald's power to you, My Angel. Make hast now, south to the Realm of the Unwanted. There you must find a man named Ahamo. He will help you on the final leg of your journey. To save the OZ. To Grey Gale. To the Emerald!"

The imaged disappeared but DG didn't move. She could feel everyone waiting on her to move, speak, or react, but all she could think to say was, "Az was right. She is a bit of a Drama Queen."

"Dorothigale!" Toto sounded scandalized and DG just had to turn to see his face.

And she was glad she did. It was about the most comical thing she had ever seen, even if this was definitely not the time to bust out laughing. Evan was also giving her a fairly funny face, though it was more along the lines of 'oh-you-silly-little-child'. So DG just smiled at them and said, "Well, what are we waiting for? We have to find this Realm so we can get the Emerald. The Eclipse is in, like, three days."

DG bounced down the steps, and Evan caught her arm, speaking softly, "Then we are going there too?"

DG smiled at him, speaking a bit louder, making it clear that she didn't care who heard, "Of course we're going. Every little girl wants to see her daddy."

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><p><strong>Eh…. I only thought that chapter was so-so. Also sometimes I think the characters are OCC. What do you guys think? <strong>

**But we have now started into Part 3. Can you taste it? We are getting closer to learning new facts... it's going to be fun. I'm getting excited. **

**As you may or may not know, FF is now enabling writers to upload pictures and things for cover art for their stories. For all the rest of my stories, I created my own with various web images I found, and they are fairly… Bad. But for this story, I wanted something really good, because currently it's my pride and joy. But I'm a writer. I don't do drawing and art. But I figure a few of my readers are. So, I'm leaving it open for you guys to either send the picture to my email: rionabellefanfic yahoo .com (take out the spaces) or send me a link via PM or email. **

**The 'winner' will be recognized in the remaining chapters and will have my enternal gratitude. **

**Don't forget to review and tell me what you like, loved, and could have gone without. Also a new 'Reviewer/Prediction Challenge'. What do you think will trigger Cain and DG's 'fight'? Will the group meet Jeb 'during' the mini-series or after the Eclipse? How will they meet? **

**See ya'll next time. **

**Next Time: Chapter 11: The Realm of the Unwanted.**

**P.S. The minute I log on to post this chapter I receive a PM from a lovely reader reminding/begging me to update. I thought it was kind of funny. But thoughtful. It really does help me to know that people read this and are waiting for me to update. I feel a responsibility to ya'll and want to live up to it. So, thank you, thank you, **_**thank you, **_**blaufeuer. You ask, and so it shall be granted. I hope it lived up to your hopes, and satisfied your addiction. **


	12. Chapter 11: Moving Forward

**Look a chapter! Don't kill me….**

**p.s. I reworked the end of the last chapter a little bit, you could go read it but I don't think that it was a whole lot. **

* * *

><p>Chapter 11: Moving Forawrd<p>

The imaged disappeared but DG didn't move. She could feel everyone waiting on her to move, speak, or react, but all she could think to say was, "Az was right. She is a bit of a Drama Queen."

"Dorothigale!" Toto sounded scandalized and DG just had to turn to see his face.

And she was glad she did. It was about the most comical thing she had ever seen, even if this was definitely not the time to bust out laughing. Evan was also giving her a fairly funny face, though it was more along the lines of 'oh-you-silly-little-child'. So DG just smiled at them and said, "Well, what are we waiting for? We have to find this Realm so we can get the Emerald. The Eclipse is in, like, three days."

DG bounced down the steps, and Evan caught her arm, speaking softly, "Then we are going there too?"

DG smiled at him and left it at that, as she walked over to the men, but Cain heard him, "Why would we not go?"

DG didn't turn around and kept going, "I know, right? It's the only clue me have and plus it's been _waaaaay _too long since I've seen my daddy."

Suddenly DG's world was spinning and she wasn't sure why. When it came to a stop, she realized Cain had seized her arm and spun her around, "This Ahamo person is your father? The Consort?!"

DG shrugged trying to be nonchalant, despite the fact that Wyatt was being rather forceful, "Apparently... If that's what his title was…"

He wasn't satisfied with that response, "'Apparently'? What does that mean?"

"Well…" DG drew out the word trying to make it seem like it was obvious, "I remember my dad's name being Ahamo and since my mother was talking about him, I'm going to assume it's the same guy. And besides, no matter how freaky this place is, there can't possibly be more than one 'Ahamo'."

Cain clenched his teeth, "Fine, but still the Consort abandoned the Queen and country fifteen years ago. His treason cost the Queen greatly, broke a lot of confidence in the Gale line. I hardly think that he's the person we need to be running to for help."

DG scoffed, "Please, if that was true why would my mother – his wife – have sent us to him if he 'abandoned' her? Scorned women don't do things like that. They're more likely to light your truck on fire."

Cain simply stared at her, face like stone but his eyes bright with confusion. DG wasn't sure what to do next that might ease whatever was causing his unrest so she simply had to move on to the next order of business, "Well, like I said, three/four days to the eclipse and all that. We need to make some progress while the suns are still up."

Everyone else in the group shifted and move a little bit closer, but Cain still was undecided. DG just sort of huffed, wiggle her arm in his grasp a little bit, "Would you please release me, sir?"

Cain's hand shot away from her, looking as if he had forgotten that he had a ahold of her, then cleared his throat and straightened his hat, "Well, is there anything else that you just so happen to _remember _that we should know about?"

DG was really not liking where this was going. Cain was starting to get icy and mean. He was beyond suspicious of her and she'd almost say he didn't trust her… That hurt more than she'd care to say, "Cain, a lot of things are just popping up randomly. If every time something jogged a little inkling, I gave you a full run down, we would never get anywhere."

Cain only narrowed his eyes at her, before moving on and turning away, "Right, we won't make it to the Realm today, but we can make some good ground if we move now."

DG threw her hands in the air, "This is what I'm saying! Let's get a move on cowboy!"

DG realized this may not have been the best time to try and joke when Cain glared at her, rather harshly. It also probably didn't help that he had no idea what she was referring too.

* * *

><p>The imaged of the young Queen faded and the Witch fumed, looking around at the bright, luscious grounds. <em>How could one infinitesimal Queen and her puny offspring do all of this?! <em>

Worst of all, rather than being able to use this message and planning to prove to the weak Azkadillia that no one loved her, the message seemed to spur her on! As if they had orchestrated all of this to save her! The Witch would get no help from her host. She would have to find another way to gather information on Ahamo.

* * *

><p>Tensions were now thick in the air, particularly between Cain and DG. Well, more of Cain to DG, because DG was ignoring Cain. But either way, no one was dumb enough to speak. Which in hindsight, only made it all worse.<p>

They walked most of the evening in silence before they all silently decided to take a moment's breather. DG took the time to meander down to the river they had been using as a guide, so wrapped up in her thoughts and worries about when this bubble was going to explode she didn't realize it was about to. Right now.

Cain noticed how Toto was starting to get jittery and his alarms had been going off for a long while and he wasn't about to ignore them anymore.

"Hey Pooch," Cain called, walking over to the man, "You okay over there? You've just been antsy as a guild fighter since we left Finaqua."

Tutor hummed a bit, "Uhh… Just nervous about being a man on the run, I suppose."

"I hear ya," Cain agreed, pretending to just be making conversation, his Tin Man instincts and training kicking in, "Sky's clear… But I get this funny feeling we're being followed. What do you think?"

Before the question was out of his mouth, Cain felt Tutor freeze up before trying to act calm and laugh it off, "Another mobat? Didn't you say it was probably just a… random scout who stumbled across us?"

"Didn't you say we should just pretend that it didn't happen?" Cain shot back at him, finally looking at the man, letting him know that he didn't believe him for a moment, "You were sweating then too."

Tutor tried to tactfully remove himself from the situation, but Cain wasn't going to have it. Cain grabbed a hold of the arm that was conveniently burrowed into the Tutor's pocket and Tutor panicked, "Let go of me! Let go of me!"

Unfortunately in the small scuffle (that wasn't really a scuffle), Toto inadvertently flung the small recorder discs onto the ground. This did not escape Cain's keen attention.

Before Toto could look up from the damning evidence at his feet, he found a pistol pointed at his chest, "I'd shoot you in the heart if I thought you had one."

By now, Raw and Glitch had rushed over to them and Evan was standing atop a small hill looking down on the scene, the Kid was nowhere to be seen at the moment.

The Mystic Man was the first to call out, "Wyatt! What are you doing?"

Glitch though was the first to see the shining objects on the ground, "Oooh, what are those?"

"Breadcrumbs for Azkadillia," Cain informed them all loudly, "She had an inside man all along. Didn't she?"

"A spy!" Raw accused, and Evan was starting to get worried. One thing he had learned from being a part of the Royal Court so long was that the Gale line was crafty and one never knew all of what was going on in their heads. He had no doubt that DG was the same way. As it was she had known what Tutor was doing and she allowed it, for a purpose. And she almost certainly didn't want him to be shot by Wyatt Cain.

Only probably was that she was not around and Evan wasn't able to just run off and find her. The only thing he could do was send a magical burst in the direction he thought she went and hope she could understand what he meant.

Until then he'd have to watch this unfold.

"You don't understand," Tutor demanded, "I stopped dropping those a while back."

"Afraid you'd get caught?" Cain accused.

"DG trusted you," Glitch sounded disgusted, like betraying her was the worst possible thing imaginable, "She thought of you like family."

"I care about her more than anybody else in the whole wide world," Toto pleaded, "But… I…. For the last _fifteen annuals _I've been locked up. In a dark hole. Azkadillia came to me, offered me my freedom if I'd track you. If I said no, she'd have killed me on the spot."

Cain was done with this man's lying and attempts to save his own skin. He was ready to just shoot him, when there was a crashing in the brush and a worried voice washed over them, "Cain, what are you doing?"

* * *

><p>DG had been knelt down by the river's edge, trying to scrub at least one layer of dirt off of her face when a green wave of magic suddenly enveloped her. She nearly went toppling face first into the water in surprise, but kept her balance, only to bolt up and into the forest in a panic.<p>

While she didn't understand what was up with the colors, but she knew that green meant it was Evan and he would never have accosted her with that sort of burst of magic unless he needed her. And the only reason she could fathom for that was trouble.

She ran and jumped over roots and logs until she burst out on to the path next to Evan and was confronted with the sight of her three best friends ganging up on Toto and, if she knew Wyatt at all, he was ready to kill the man. Like for real.

"Cain, what are you doing?" The question was out of her mouth before she could think of what might have happened.

Cain barely glanced up at her, not willing to take his eye off of the traitor, like he may disappear into thin air, "He's a plant from Azkadillia. Been leaving a trail for her to follow."

DG had to grit her teeth to keep from screaming. _Damn it, damn it, damn it…Of all the times to walk away. _But it didn't matter now. She was going to have face this. She knew that she was jumping feet first into a land mine, and knowing her she was not going to do it gracefully.

"Cain, pull your gun down."

She had spoken softly, but Cain still heard. He didn't turn his head, figuring she was still trying to stick up for the man that she had thought that she knew, "I know that this man was your childhood teacher, Deeg, but things have changed."

"Cain, please, put the gun down," her voice sounded strained and closer, like she had moved down the hill and was only a few yards away.

"DG, he's been – "

"I know."

The words were so softly spoken, so full of conviction and pain, that Cain didn't know what to do with them. Moreover, he didn't know what to do with what they meant.

DG stood a short distance from the men, staring at Cain's back and forcing herself to not fidget with the hands she had folded nicely in front of her. A half a second after Cain processed her words, his head whipped around so fast that at any other time DG might have wonder if he had given himself whiplash, "You know?"

DG swallowed hard, "Yes."

Cain was silent for a moment, before he uncocked his pistol, pulled it away from Tutor, and (thankfully) holstered it. He began to slow approach her, each step careful and measured, "Just to clarify, you _knew _that this man, your teacher, was leaving a trail for Azkadillia, who is hunting us down to kill you, and you convinced me to allow him to join us anyway?"

DG was not sure how she was able to keep her breathing normal and her eyes from watering up, because Wyatt had never spoken to her like this. Sure they had had fights before, and he's been furious at her, and he'd yell and she'd yell back. But that had been with feeling. This… This was cold, ice cold. The words were low and even and… terrifying. The only time she could remember him ever sounding like this was when… Oh, God… After they had released Zero and sentenced him to prison, when he had spoken to Zero for just a minute.

But, somehow, some miracle, she was able to hold it together, "Yes."

They simply stared at each other, Cain clearly getting angrier and angrier by the second, and DG not willing to say anything that she didn't have to.

Cain was the one that was going to be direction this conversation, "So, you rope all of us into this little adventure and then go and decide to play with our safety in situations that you know nothing about? I don't know about the Otherside, but that's not how we show gratitude here."

Okay, now DG was a little bit hurt and angered by that accusation, "You know that's not true."

Cain laughed. He had the audacity to laugh at her, now of all times, "Do I now?"

DG stuck out her chin stubbornly, "Yes. I would never do such a thing. I have done nothing but try to help since I have gotten here."

"Really? Helpful? Hiding things, like this, from us; making everything we have to do more difficult with you crazy stubborn notions? How has any of that been helpful?" Cain all but shouted in her face.

DG really didn't know what to say to all that, so she tried something else, "Well, I guess I just have to ask you to trust me."

Which turned out to be the exact wrong thing to say. Just when they had entered a territory that DG was familiar with – a yelling Wyatt – he fell back onto the quiet even voice that terrified her, "Trust you? You can't possibly be that stupid. Why should I ever trust anything you have to say, _Princess_?" He said her title like it was a disgusting slur, instead of the pet name he normally/used to make it.

That was the blow that broke DG's wall. The box that she had been shoving all of her unwanted and unnecessary emotions for the last few days – and last six months if she were being honest – had just been shattered. The image of the man she loved, trusted more than anyone in the whole world – so much so that she would willingly so _anything _that he asked her to do – was cruelly suggesting that she wasn't worth his trust and never would be was forever burned into her brain. And she just snapped.

"Because I don't know what the hell I'm doing!" she screeched, breathing raggedly, "I have no clue what is going on, and I am just trying to keeping going forward, because if I stop for even a second, I am going to collapse and won't be able to get up and all of this shit will be for nothing!

"And, damn it, Wyatt, I don't," she nearly choked on these few words, "I don't care what you think, but I would _never, ever_ try and jeopardize or harm good people. And as far as I am concerned the lot of you are the best kind of people there are. And I promise… I just, I am just trying to help…"

DG trailed off, her emotional rollercoaster only taking her so far before forcing her to quit. She brought her hand up to her face and had to walk away before bursting into tears, something she hated to do under even remotely normal circumstances.

Everyone else was completely shell shocked after that blow out and it was Evan that was the first to make any movement or sound. He cleared his throat before softly suggesting, "Perhaps we should make camp for the night."

They all turned to Cain to approve the plan, like he normally would, but he only stared after DG for a second before stopping away in the opposite direction.

* * *

><p>Camp had been set up quickly and by the time Cain had calmed down enough to simply brood on his own, everyone had set to their own ways of passing time. Tutor was staying as far away from Cain as he possibly could, Glitch was fidgeting uncontrollably and Raw was nervously glancing between himself and the…. That girl.<p>

Evan was, over the period of the evening, alternating between giving her space and attempting to talk her. But every time that the elderly man approached her or trying to engage her in conversation she would shoot off in a different direction of shore and would plopped down to curl in on herself.

At one point, after being evaded for the fourth time, Evan approached Cain, looking very cross, "Just what do you think you were doing Wyatt Cain?"

"I was demanding some straight answers. Something _she _had never given any of us," Cain shot back.

"You tried to chastise DG about gratitude, but perhaps you should learn from her. If I am correct, she saved you from a prison you would have never gotten out of on your own. Sure is a fine way to show her your appreciation," it took all of Cain's considerable self-restraint not to recoil from the suit being thrown at him in such a manner. And from someone he counts as a friend.

"She asked for me to help her to Central City and I did that and more. I think that should suffice."

Evan shook his head and regarded Cain with deeply serious eyes, "There was a time were you took my advice to consideration and heart. I pray that this will be one of those times. Don't be a fool, Wyatt. There is so much more going on here than we know, Dorothigale included. Magic is unpredictable and always for a reason. You would do well to remember that."

With that and a parting stare, he then went back to fussing over the girl.

All of this continued for another hour or so as the final sun set and everyone decided to find shelter from the tension in blissful sleep. Even D… That girl decided to call it quits, stomping over the farthest possible position while still being 'in' camp before dropping to the ground and curling into her jacket.

Cain volunteered for the first watch (or two) because he was nowhere near able to sleep and he had to figure a few things out. Like whether or not he was going to continue traveling with this lot.

He had no idea what else he would do with his life now, but he was fairly certain he could not do this. In a place and time as dangerous as this one, you could not afford to spend great deals of time with people you don't trust.

Granted he trusted The Mystic Man, but he seemed to be in this girl's pocket. For whatever reason Evan trusted her more than was strictly logical, and Cain wasn't sure about that. The Mystic Man, while steeped in the mystical arts, was a man of science. He didn't do things on a whim. This lead part of Cain to think that he was right, that there _was_ more to this than he knew.

Cain also wasn't so sure about the Headcase and Furball. Glitch had proved himself to a valuable and trust worthy, but his loyalties also lay with this slipper. As for the Viewer… Well, he was a Viewer. There was little doubt in Cain's mind that he knew most of what was going on and made a more sound decision than Cain would ever be able to make. And again that lay with the Kid.

But still Cain wasn't sure if he was able to trust her. She _was _hiding things from them – that was obvious now. She must have lied to them at least once or twice, possibly more. But when she yelled at him… That was honest. Cain could see the emotion and hurt in her eyes. She was spiraling as bad was he was and she too was just trying to hold it all together for just one more day, just one more step. But she still wasn't about to tell him anything. She wasn't going to trust him.

But she wanted him to trust her. And he didn't know if he could do it. And maybe that's what caused him the most worry. Cain had always believed in the black and white. Either you were right or you were wrong. You lied or told the truth. You could be trusted or you couldn't. But DG didn't seem to fit into any of his parameters. His brain was telling him that she shouldn't be trusted – despite the fact that a trusted mentor and a Viewer of all things would follow her. But something else in him was telling him to just go with it. That he should listen to her and it would turn out alright. _ It always does. _

Cain was locked in this internal struggle, when he suddenly heard something, a bang of sorts. His head snapped up, searching out the source of the thunking. It didn't take him long to find it. The Kid was jerking around in her sleep. One of her feet had lashed out and kicked the log beside her.

Cain was ready to dismiss it and go back to his brooding, but he couldn't take his eyes off of her still restless form. Normally DG slept very peacefully, despite all that they were going through. Cain couldn't help but be concerned, despite not wanting to nor still being angry with her. Despite himself, he wanted to know what was distressing her so much.

As he continued to watch her, he realized that she was speaking in her sleep. He was too far way to hear what she was saying. His feet and curiosity picked him up and carried him closer before he realized what he was doing. He stood in the shadows, watching the woman.

Her face was twisted in fear and sorrow and slow tears were tracking down her face. Her lips trembled as she mumbled, "No, leave him alone… Don't… Let her go…. Don't hurt him…."

Then unexpectedly her eyes flew open, wild and scared like a frightened animal, a strangled cry escaping her, "No!"

In the same instant she rocketed forward, bolting to her feet, running into the forest, tripping over everything in her path. If Cain hadn't had years of experience he might have started and alerted her of his presence, but as it was he kept his head and was able to slowly follow after her. To make sure she was safe, of course.

When he found her, she had fallen in the middle of a relatively clear space, and was on her knees, arms wrapped around herself, rocking back and forth. She was crying hysterically, but Cain was barely about to make out what she was saying, "Please… No! Don't leave me… Come back… pl-please…. no…don't – don't go…"

Her sobs persisted and it took everything Cain had to not go and try and comfort her. Instead he had to _force _himself back to camp.

When he was back in his place against a tree trunk, he placed his hat over his eyes, allowing the girl to be able to walk back into camp without worrying about him questioning her. It wasn't his place.

But as he started at the inside of his hat and inadvertently drifted to sleep, Cain came to a conclusion to his plan for the foreseeable future.

* * *

><p><em>Cain woke to the sound of his name being called, "Cain. Cain! Wyatt! " <em>

_He grunted as he lazily lifted his hat and was accosted by the bright sunlight. He blinked a few times, before lifting his head to find the source of disturbance. Not that he didn't know who it was already, "What?" _

_His eyes found the sight of the youngest princess of the OZ, standing shin deep in a lake, trousers that she wasn't supposed to be wearing rolled up past her knees, glaring at him with her hand on her hips, "Are you listening to me?" _

_He let his head fall back onto the soft grass, letting out another grunt, "No." _

_DG huffed indignantly, "Why not?" _

"_Because I was asleep." _

_DG recoiled slightly, "What? You don't sleep." _

_He turned his head to look at her, "Thank you for that." _

_DG her hands in front of her as if to erase what she said, "That's not what I meant. I mean, you don't sleep when you're being all bodyguardy." _

_He raised an eyebrow at her word choice but let it go, "I'm not." _

"_Not what?" _

"_Your bodyguard right now. We're on vacation." _

_Again DG was stunned, "You don't do vacations." _

_Cain rolled his eyes and decided he wasn't going to entertain her nonsense anymore. _

_If he had been paying attention to her, he would have noticed the mischievous glint in her eye sparkle just a little bit brighter, "Well, if that's the case then…." _

_Of course Cain also knew DG, so he didn't really need the visual clue, "Don't even think about it." _

_His eyes slid over to look at her and sure enough, she was bent over, trying to cup as much water as she could into her small hands, ready to throw it on him. She hadn't dropped the water yet, but she was pouting at him, "Aww… Cain, it's just so hot, don't you want to cool off?" _

_He sat up to stare her straight in the eye, "Next Royal Ball, I might have something to handle when Duke 'Big Feet' ask you to dance." _

_DG's eyes grew wide as saucers, but she still hadn't dropped the water, even though most had drained out by now, "You wouldn't." _

"_And Sir 'Ego Maniac'." _

_Now DG dropped her hands and straightened up, stepping out of the water and closer to Cain, "That's not cool." _

"_And maybe Master 'Self-Righteous'."_

_Now, DG's cool broke. She ran over to where Cain was sitting, dropping to her knees and grabbing on to his arm, "Cain! You can't do that! You have to bail me out! Otherwise I would die. Completely and totally die. And you would be instrumental in high treason and assignation against the Royal Family." _

_DG seemed quite proud of her logic. Cain simply raised an eyebrow at her, barely able to hold in his laughter, "Already did that, didn't I?" _

_DG opened her mouth to reply, but came up with nothing. So instead she said, "You're mean. I don't like you." _

_To which Cain erupted with deep rumbling laughter, which always was impossible for DG to resist. _

* * *

><p><strong>Yay? Don't worry about the angst. I hate angst so it won't hang around for long. And I won't make any promises, but I will try my hardest to not take a year to post. <strong>


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